Liaisons Undercovers
by Rakusa
Summary: Ambassador Endymion Duchaunt has just met a very curious young woman.
1. Chapter 1

Liaisons Undercovers

4/29/2012

Summary: Ambassador Endymion Duchaunt has just met a very curious young woman.

AN: I enjoy doing an occasional... I thought the word was smut, but I misspoke on the earlier version... a bit more than a WAFF, but kind of like a Harlequin? piece. This will probably be one of those. Nothing too serious but with a note of it all the same. I'm keeping with the T rating. T is after all for Teenagers.

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Chapter 1

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Endymion looked down into the slightly yellowed contents of his see-through drink. It was impeccable, refined, urbane, sweet. He was not much for white wines but this one did clench the palate and soothed his thirst. The same could be said about the woman he was being introduced to at this moment. She was on the arm of some gentleman that he had not met, nor knew of that ran in his circles.

She was taken and so his interest went no further. Or so he was trying to tell himself. But they did not introduce her with his last name, which could mean very little these days, nor did she wear a ring of any sort. That also did not give away too many private details. He longed for the days when it was clear to understand someone by what you could see. These days it was all 'Don't judge a book by its cover' and 'You don't know me unless I want you to know me'. She was actually refreshing in that she seemed to say what she thought and seemed to be who she appeared to be. Despite not wearing her life upon her.

Endymion felt old. He was only twenty-eight but he'd been living this life since he was born. Carting from one city to the next, surrounded by people but knowing no one, knowing them in order to judge and handle, but being connected with very few. He'd had nannies at first, but then those were whisked away when he was deemed old enough to take care of himself. His parents had enjoyed this life, dressing up in the best their money could buy. Talking with foreigners in both their own language and the other. It was no wonder that he longed for the feel of a car beneath his hands, something solid he could hold on to and manipulate.

When his parents died when he was twenty, he was the most logical choice to step in for them. At first he had to finish university but he was still balancing that with the occasional dinner party.

He heard a musical laughter and he glanced up again at the woman who had caught and held his attention all evening. He tried hard not to appear interested. She had arrived with someone and they had wandered through the party together, hardly ever leaving the other's side. The man on her arm looked good with her, Endymion allowed, his red hair an excellent companion to her gold. They looked like fire together.

She wasn't much of a woman. She was still getting her feet onto the ground, but she had no business in these circles. He hadn't caught what she did for a living but she was only in her early to mid twenties and couldn't have gotten very far in a political career or many others either. He would have been well aware of her existence before this if that was the case. He wished he could warn her to stay away, that her beauty would be ripped from her before she reached thirty if she kept up the pace that everyone else did. That her beauty would only open some doors but it was everything else that mattered more. If she had those skills as well, she'd be overworked and fought against by the men who didn't want to give an inch to a female, and not to a youngster such as herself. Even if those weren't issues, the bigger ones would be her opponents self-preservation, they'd do anything to keep their pockets well-lined. Throw anyone they could to get what they wanted. She wasn't old enough to understand or appreciate that. She was still a girl playing dress up and thinking her fanatical imaginations could compensate with how hard this world could be.

Yet she was all woman. Playing dress up suited her, it brought out all of her perfectly placed curves, flattered her hair and made her eyes shine with an inner warmth. The smoldering red color she wore clashed slightly with her partner's hair, but his gold shirt and white dinner jacket over black pants complemented hers. They appeared more like a couple in this way than if they had matched or wore rings. People must have felt their heat, for they flocked around them, trying to warm themselves up by soaking the couple in. They were trying to warm their cold recesses where a heart once laid. He wished them good luck in heating those husks with long corridors of whispering winds.

He wouldn't be like the others. He was too hot looking at her breathtaking smile as she flashed it to yet another male in the room. He fought for some place where he could cool down. He found it outside on a pavilion. He was not blissfully alone like he had wished, but it was heavenly out here. He leaned against a cool wrought iron banister and its connecting stone pillar. He even loosened his tie and unbuttoned the two starting at his neck. He felt much better now, as if he could finally think with a cool head once more. There was a reason he was here.

It was not the woman-child that had just found herself out here with him, stopping at his side in mild concern. "Dear, you looked utterly clammy." She held up a hand against his forehead and surprisingly it was on the cold side. It felt nice but he didn't sag into it or press it against his skin like he wanted to. He turned his gaze down to the smallest female he had ever seen. Her high heels gave her much of her height, without them, she'd be half her size. Her head came up to about his shoulder with them on, but without, it'd be more on level with his heart.

"I'm all right." He reassured her, taking her hand from his head into his and holding them for a moment longer than necessary. "Are you all right? Your hands are freezing!"

She laughed and it was that gorgeous laugh he'd heard from earlier. "Well you know what they say about that!" His answering smile had her sobering up for a brief moment as she held his gaze, unable to look away and she gave a slight frown at that. She tugged her hand back. "I am sorry. Where are my manners? I was going to go get a couple of drinks. Would you like anything from the bar?"

Endymion was about to say no, but then thought better of it, wanting to spend more time in her presence, for one and actually feeling parched for a second. "I'll join you."

She gave a bit of a nod and turned gracefully on those dangerously high heels towards the bar. He walked a few steps behind her, wanting to watch her as she went ahead of him. He was concerned over her breaking an ankle in them. But she walked without a falter and he was impressed at how she managed in them. He would have thought it was just easier to buy stilts. Those had to be safer than what she had on her feet. She murmured something to the bartender, he was stationed at the end of the pavilion where there were a few seating locations, but the majority of the party was intended to be indoors. It was too cool to be outside for long. There weren't as many people out here as he thought, and by the time he got his drink it was just him, the girl and the bartender.

She turned towards him and pressed something cool into his hands. "Please drink that." She picked up two more glasses and was beginning to walk towards the party one more time.

"What is it?" Endymion felt strange following a woman around. It had been a long time, if ever, that he'd had to seek out women. Usually if he did any movement with them, it was away. She turned towards him and for a brief moment she faltered, but she regained her balance before he could even begin to be concerned.

She gave him a half smile and he heard her words only because he was so close and he wondered if there was a bit of mockery in it. "Water."

He chuckled. "I should have guessed. That should have been what I needed to go for the moment I decided I was in need of a drink." He took a sip and since she was standing there, alone with him, she took a sip of hers as well. "Thank you for your concern and for getting the water for me."

"Of course. You are looking much better. When I first came out you were looking pale and on the verge of slumping." There was a hint of a tease in her voice and he responded warmly to it. A smile edging around his lips and he realized quite suddenly that it had been a long time since he'd smiled. "Now you look as if you could take on the world again."

"I was feeling rather hot inside. I feel as if the heat had been turned up, but I know that it is only because there are so many bodies within a tight space."

Her eyes roamed over his slowly at his words. She gave a brief nod when she reached his eyes, noting that he had wanted some kind of response, a delay to her returning in and being swallowed up by the others in attendance. "Somewhat like a mall." She gave a delicate shrug and he immediately moved her to a bit more of the selfish and vain variety. "No heater but in the winter they don't need it with how much body heat everybody gives off, then being bounced back by the concrete. Cheapest form of environment and economy colliding. It makes more sense than strip-malls despite the small business people's complaints." His thoughts were struggling to rearrange themselves as he moved her again. He was having difficulty in keeping her in someplace safe and guaranteed.

Endymion nodded, pleased by her example. "I see that you have an interest in such things?"

"Me?" She asked with a slight laugh. "Perhaps. Though I only seem to be echoing back what others have taught me over the years."

"That's how knowledge spreads. Though I do with you had specific graphs and sources in which to verify the conclusions which you have drawn."

"How very politician of you!" She laughed, but it was not a delicate laugh of the amused but upper class, it was a bit more full than that, but still quite beautiful. "Which campaign are you running? I will have to be sure to cast my vote in your favor. A man who can stand there talking to me and stil have his mind set on politics has to be one very dedicated to his cause."

Somehow he knew that she knew he was only putting her on. That he didn't care if she could substantiate her claims, but the fact that he'd said it all greatly amused her. He sensed security guards making their rounds off to his left, saw their dark figures moving against the back drop of the secure grounds which they were having this soiree. He had doubts that she didn't know his true position here, but since reporters had no chance of snagging a photo of them together here, he relaxed slightly. She wasn't trying to catch him in a compromised position. She was doing rather the opposite of that, giving every indication she was ready to leave him at a moment's notice. Or at least that's what she was trying to project. Her eyes lingered a bit too long to completely make him believe it. She stood at least three feet away from him and here, that was like a canyon had sunk between them.

He hitched up a smile on one side and gave her another warm look over as well. She took another sip of her drink. It fizzled a little so he thought it might be champagne though the class looked wrong. Perhaps the bartender hadn't known or ran out of the flutes. He'd have to have his secretary look into it. Endymion leaned casually back and teased her a little in return. "Shall you partake in a guessing game?"

"What will you give me if I guess correctly?" She asked, taking the tiniest step backwards. For her though, it might have been a leap. He was pleased to note that he unnerved her, though she was trying her hardest not to appear that way. Probably didn't want to give him any come-on signals when she was clearly here with someone.

That caused a sensation like ice water being dumped on him. He would never move in on someone else's territory like that. He had to make this easier for the both of them since she was on her end. "I'm not sure, it depends on whether or not you upset me greatly with your suggestions."

She cocked her head to the side, and revealed a long graceful neck. How did she do it? She had legs a mile long, a long graceful neck, more than adequate curves and a tiny cinched in waist. Yet she came in the tiniest packing that he could imagine. "Let's see... you wouldn't be wasting your time out here with me if it was an entry level position. No you would be wanting to get your name into everyone's head in there." She indicated where there was still quite a lot of noise. "In fact you don't seem too worried about your position at all. So either you're not running or it isn't coming up for a review for quite awhile." He didn't give her any indication that she was right either way and she sighed. "Or it could very well be that you know you have it in the bag and that no matter what scandal you could embroil, it wouldn't hurt your chances at all."

She heaved a sigh and he enjoyed watching the breath go through her body and how she moved in reaction. "I have a feeling that it is something of quite high standing. Morally if not politically." She tapped her finger against her lips. Such rich and lusciously full lips. He clenched his hand behind him in a move to stop it from reaching out and touching those lips himself. "A judge? Supreme Court?"

Endymion did laugh then. They were not even in America at the moment and he did not think he sounded remotely like a Yankee. She seemed a bit offended as he did so. "No, I'm sorry. Aim your sights a little lower." If he had that position, he'd never have to look for another job again. Speaking of which, why was it impossible to place _her_ accent? Her vowels were clipped like an American but her constants were like, well, his. Though there was something off about them even then.

"A regular judge then?"

'No, I don't believe I have that kind of power."

"Have you just been elected as prime candidate for the prosecution office?" At a slight shake she sighed. "Mayor or whatever they call these men of the townships?" Another shake. "Police commissioner?" At the curving of his mouth, she knew she was wrong. "Oh there is something I am missing isn't there? For you're not a senator or parliamentary. Could you be the new PM opponent?"

"All right then, I cave. What would you like for my inability to appropriately guess your role here tonight?"

Endymion didn't even pause long enough to think about it before the words were out of his mouth. He really shouldn't have asked for this, especially not with what he'd been telling himself all night. "Your digits."

She gave him an odd look. "I'd like to, but I am preferential to my fingers being on my hands."

He shook his head with an odd sound coming from him. Was that a chuckle? "I meant your telephone digits. I would like a way to reach you in the future."

She gave him a sly look. "For support in your next campaign? I'd gladly give you my referral." She whipped out a business card, but all it had on it was her name and her telephone number. "But this is only to be used if you absolutely must."

"And if I wish to get in touch with you, otherwise?" He couldn't believe the way his mouth was running away from him tonight. What was it with this woman? "I mean, you don't-"

She was already writing a private number on the back and though she still kept a foot distance between them, she slipped it into his breast pocket. Her fingers made hot scorched down his chest even though he was sure her hands hadn't gotten any warmer and there was no way he could feel them from the layers. "You know, you still haven't told me what it is you do."

He was about to answer her and reached out to closet he distance between them and slid an elusive blond strand back into place when his name was called. Endymion looked up at the man and he gestured towards his watch. Endymion looked back at the girl-woman and wished he had done at least that, anything to feel her again. "I'm sorry, I have got to go. Perhaps I shall see you soon. Goodbye."

She didn't say it in return and he left, looking over his shoulder at her, but she was already heading in and others were filing out to take their spots, and get a few more refreshments as well.

–

EAN: This is the funniest thing! You have to check out Four King Hell. I'd give you a link, but then you'd go to page 70 and that's not what you really want is it? The four Kings are back in it and its a manga version type of thing but its funnier than heck. Lots of small details went into it to make it hilarious. I'll share one. "We really don't have much room." Mamoru. "That's all right, I'll make you some more. What's that?" I'll let you find that one out. "That's the closet." Mamoru. "That's where Kunzite sleeps." Jadeite. (I think he's the one who said that.) It's much funnier when you're reading it with the pictures. Oh god, their faces! Mamoru and his chocolate! AHHH! Usagi's adorable in it too. Exactly how the anime made her out to be. Adorably naïve. Aw...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

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The restaurant was dark in an attempt to set a mood. There were small lights around the ground, not quite track lighting to guide the way or at least allow some light in the place so you didn't trip over something and sue. Endymion walked passed the bar and almost walked passed someone he knew. She was leaning across the counter, talking to the bartender but it was her shapely behind that caught his attention and drew his gaze for a second time. Having only seen it briefly, he was surprised he recognized in so well in this new position. But the impossibly high heels reinforced his assessment. "Serenity?" He asked surprised to see her here of all places.

Serenity jerked up right and turned towards him in the surprise that he felt. "Ambassador!" Luckily her outburst was contained to a shocked whisper. He wasn't looking forward to undue attention upon him. She was difficult to see, but she was more lovely than he remembered. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing." The last time he'd seen her, they had both been in Italy. Now they were in Germany. There was humor in his voice though as he realized that they did go into similar places, his earlier disheartening thought of not seeing her again had proved rather false. It was nice to see her again. It had been about a week since their last run in.

"I came here for work. I have the night off, so I came to this restaurant. I didn't realize I needed reservations, so I have been waiting at the bar for a table to clear or someone to cancel." She explained.

Endymion looked at her curiously. "How long have you been waiting?"

"A little over an hour. The bartender and I are best friends now." She grinned at him, letting him into her world of humor.

"An hour?" He was astounded. "You must be starving by now!"

"Not really." She shrugged. "I knew it was dinner time but I wasn't hungry when I set out. So I don't mind the wait."

"Where are your friends? The man I saw you with in England?"

Another delicate shrug as she leaned back to sit on the padded stool. "At home, I suspect. He didn't come with me and I had no one I deemed as a friend on this trip. At least not enough of one to desire spending time with them in my time off."

Endymion felt a little like she'd thrown her elbow into his gut. Her words were a little intimidating and almost like a brush off. Though she had stopped to talk to him, and her words didn't have to include him. He'd never know if he didn't ask, and this didn't have to mean anything. He certainly wasn't looking for any entanglements. He cleared his throat. "Well I was heading to my table, you can join me if you'd like."

"I don't want to cause any problems." She hesitated, not wanting to put him on the spot. "I really hadn't been fishing for an invitation-"

"Oh it'll be no trouble. All they have to do is add a setting." Endymion reached out and touched her, taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his arm. "Please, I insist." He hadn't wanted their conversation to end the other night and now they could continue.

"Well, in that case." Serenity agreed and walked with him to his table. He pushed her chair in for her once she sat and then came around to the other side and faced her. There was a candle light between them and Serenity didn't touch her menu after it was placed in front of her. She was looking at him in curiosity. He lifted a brow, wondering what she was thinking. "A table just for one?"

"It seems you have saved me from dining alone as well. Almost as if it were meant to be."

He was rewarded a gorgeous smile and then she picked up her menu to peruse it. When the waiter had come and gone, she put an arm along the table, about half the distance towards him and played with the stem of her glass. "I am surprised that you wanted to have dinner with me. You hadn't called me since we met."

He didn't want to give too much away and didn't know what he wanted either. "I had been busy. I have not had a social break until tonight. I had not realized that you would be in Germany."

"My work takes me all across the globe." Serenity didn't give much away either and he was becoming rather curious about her in return.

"At any rate, I could not walk away from a girl who would be dining alone. Especially one I have met before. It seemed unkind."

"I am content on my own." She countered softly. "I do not need your charity."

"I admit there was a bit of a selfish reason behind it as well. I wanted to get to know you better. You intrigue me."

A soft smile, one that was hiding something and she raised her water glass to her lips. When she set it down again she was looking at him with those piercing blue eyes, almost as if she knew everything there was to know about him in that gaze. "I am glad. I had thought that I had lost all of your interest. I am quite surprised you recognized me in such dim lighting. It is nearly impossible to see in here."

"You are unmistakeable for anyone else."

Their food arrived shortly and they paused in their conversation until the waiter left them again. Her wine glass was now filled with a deep red color.

"I am surprised that you called _me_ by my title. I was not aware that you knew."

She laughed, caught. "When you left the other day, I asked about you and was informed. How silly my guesses must have seemed to you! My friend had given me no details about who I was intended to meet that night. I gave him a hard time on the way back to the hotel."

His chest felt like it was constricting when she mentioned the other man. "Why had he not joined you on this trip? Surely he would not want to let you out of his sight."

She lifted one shoulder, wickedly bare. "I go where I please and meet up with him when I am in Italy. He is only a friend and he cannot join me all of the time." He could read in her eyes and body language that it was true, but he wondered what kind of friend. He'd had a few that didn't mean anything and a few that once the door was closed meant something else.

"Is there anyone who would be concerned over seeing you dining alone with a man?"

Her lips twisted in amusement. "I do believe you're curious about my relationship status. Though you are a lot more smooth at inquiring than other males. As far as I know, I am single."

"As far as you know?" She amused him just as much as he amused her. "Is there a hidden meaning behind _those_ words?"

"Oh just the usual, I might think I am only talking to a man and he thinks that we're going to get married the very next day. I of course leave with no idea where he got this idea from."

"I'm sure that you're completely innocent in all of these situations!" He accused her of more than that, but he was laughing to take some of the bite out of it, he did not want to offend his beautiful, impromptu dinner guest. He even reached out and covered her hand where it still lay on the table. He saw a flash go off to the side and wondered who let the tourists into a place like this. Then he realized the camera was angled towards them. Then more flashes and Serenity caught on that they weren't alone as well.

She snatched back her hand and looked appalled. He would be in her shoes as well, being caught unexpectedly in a dirt rag's sights. Just because she agreed to have dinner with someone. "I am terribly sorry." She was saying, and he thought it was because she was now going to be part of his scandal. That the man was after him and she had given him something to chew on.

"Don't apologize-"

"I have to." Serenity cut him off. "This is entirely my fault. They must have followed me here. They knew I would be in town. This will hurt your reputation."

She thought that he was being caught up in one of her scandals? What exactly _was_ her job? Why was she here? But he was used to it, never before having been caught off guard, always seeing the schemers before they got close enough, always ensuring that he had a bit more incognito when he went out with a woman. He didn't blame her for any of this. It could be on either of their shoulders and in the future might be. "Look, let's just get out of here. They're going to charge my tab anyway and it'll be covered."

"No, let me go first and then you can follow, but I am sorry, I have to leave you." She got to her feet quickly. "Thank you for a lovely dinner. It was nice to share it with someone." She was gone before he could stop her and he sat back down heavily in his chair.

The restaurant people had taken care of the busy-body, and they came to assure him that he would not be bothered for the rest of the night.

"Please take away her plate. She will not be returning." Why was she so terrified of the press? She had bolted as soon as she realized her picture would be taken.

Who was she to them to be after her in such a way? He was used to having to protect the ones he was with from the crowd, used to having to find another way out, but she had taken those old tricks from him quite suddenly. She chose to run away from this and left him to dine alone. He could not blame her though. It was not an easy position to be in.

She didn't have his number and knew that even if she had it, she would not be contacting him. He had hers somewhere and he would contact her to try and minimize the damage. He'd also apologize one more time for being news worthy enough to have someone take her photograph. Though if she were right, maybe any man with her would have captured the press's attention.

Endymion got up and went out a different door than he had arrived in. Soon he would know just who Serenity was and then he would decide if he should call her or not. Though that was a bit annoying as he'd like to see her again despite it all. He refrained from asking his secretary from looking into her, it was not something he wanted to get out and kept this meeting to himself. He'd have to find some other way to find out who she was.

The third time he met Serenity though was just as unexpected and unexplainable as the first two.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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The third time he met Serenity, she was barging into his hotel suite. He had just finished with his shower and had luckily put pants on, though they remained unbuttoned, unzipped and unbelted. If those were all words. He was towel drying his hair, the rest of his body bare, but why shouldn't it? He was alone in his suites and wasn't expecting anyone to come in, announced or otherwise. He came out to check the news, switching the TV on moments before the door swung open wildly and banged against the wall.

He jumped and turned towards her. He blinked several times, trying to wrap his head around the very idea that she was there, uninvited. Though the sight didn't seem to bother him much at all. Free of her clingy dresses, she was in fitting black slacks and a yellow button down, neatly tucked into her waist band. For some reason this outfit seemed not only to fit her better, but turned him on more.

She was talking as she entered, but whatever she was saying died on her lips as she took in his appearance. She halted for a brief moment, catching up her wits and then she was smiling saccharinely at him. "Darling! It's been too long!" She came up to him and gave him a hug, before turning around and shutting the door in the man's face that had followed behind her.

"Serenity?" Endymion spluttered for a brief minute, still trying to understand how she'd come to be here, now. He hadn't seen her for nearly another week and they were-, oh this was bad.

"You know, he's really very nice. Though not the right kind of nice." She shook her head.

"What's the right kind of nice and wrong?" He asked with a bit of censure, trying to pull himself together. This wasn't the first time a female had barged in on him unexpectedly, but it was the first time they'd caught him with his pants down and when she had no reason to.

"Really, a little flattery and he was goo in my hands." She shook her hair and he realized that it was up in a high pony-tail. "I gave him a bit of my documentation and then told him that we were a couple and he all but bowled me over in his haste to see me up here. The right kind of nice would have been polite and flirted back with me, but definitely wouldn't have allowed me access to anything but the reception area. He didn't even bother to check with you about whether or not I was telling the truth. We'll have to see to that. Though I have to admit I didn't give him much choice, saying that I was risking a lot by being out in the open and really, I could wait somewhere else if you didn't know me, but we had to try." She pursed her lips up at him, almost as if she wanted him to kiss her but also like a mockery of a pout. "Then the article in the paper helped as well. Your secretary had been reading it."

She threw the paper on his coffee table as she headed into the kitchen and started rooting around in it. He glanced briefly at it. It was bound to be in the German papers, but he was surprised that it made its way all the way out here. He followed her into the kitchen, finally having the presence of mind to do up his pants. He still felt as if he'd be better equipped to deal with her if he was fully dressed, but this was going to have to do.

He caught her wrist and turned her back towards him. Her skin was silky smooth under his fingers. He tried to limit his mind from that distraction. "What are you doing here?"

She popped her lips and looked at him shocked, and his imagination went wild at the rounded oh her mouth made and what he wanted her to be doing with those lips. He tried to firmly remind himself that she just pushed her way into his private space uninvited. "Didn't anybody tell you? I was sure the man behind the curtain would have surely broken it to you himself." She saw that he didn't comprehend and then she shrugged and turned back to looking around, but she didn't take anything out and then turned on the water taps. He went to turn them off but she was turning on the radio.

"What are you doing?" He followed her around and turned that off too. He followed her into the sitting room again and found her looking behind the TV. "Well? Aren't you going to tell me?"

She turned the volume up and didn't relinquish the remote. "I'm your new bodyguard." She responded cheerfully.

Endymion snagged the remote and turned the TV off. "You're what?" He asked flabbergasted. He couldn't imagine her protecting anybody.

"Nah-uh-uh." She responded. "Not until I've checked every corner for her." She wandered about his suite and he caught her elbow about ready to throw her out if she didn't explain. Boy she really had some type of psychological problem, didn't she? "Really, unless you want twelve men in here throwing the place into shambles, then you best let me look." She slid a hand in between her shirt and body and pulled out something long and then held a finger up to her lips. He didn't know where she got that, but he was well aware of what it was. She was looking for a bug.

That lent some credence to her words and he allowed her to search, but he followed her everywhere to ensure that she didn't leave any behind. When she was satisfied, even checking the vents for any sound-listening devices, she finally turned to him and smiled. "That's right. I'm your personal bodyguard."

"I told Andrew I didn't need one." Endymion responded back a bit more harshly than he felt this girl deserved. "You're not needed. You can go away."

"Sorry, no can do. _You_ didn't hire me." She grinned at him, knowing that he was caught. "Besides, after being read in, its come to our attention that your protection and lack thereof would be a national security risk."

"Whatever. I have been doing fine on my own for a long time now."

"Fine is just about the half of it." She muttered under her breath, no doubt already seeing several fatal flaws in his security, because he didn't believe in having any unless he was at a state function and even then it was only on the way to it.

"At any rate, I don't believe _you_ could protect anyone, not even a cat, much less someone of my stature." Endymion argued, and her grin, if possible, only widened.

"That's the beauty of it, don't you see? No one else will think its possible either." She ran a hand up his arm. "I'm the unexpected defense."

Endymion removed his arm, though it had pained him to tear himself away from her. She was a con artist and an amazing one at that. He'd dealt with her type before. "I don't believe you."

"That's all right, call Andrew." The fact that she was so glib about the Prime Minister had his hackles up, how could anyone not associated closely with the man call him by his first name like that?

Endymion had his cell phone out from his pocket instantly and the silver communicator was at the side of his face and he spoke heatedly with the man who had been his friend for more years than he wanted to count. He moved away from Serenity to ensure that she didn't listen in and when he returned, from a very unhelpful conversation, which proved her right, she was perched on the armrest of the couch, looking up at him rather innocently. Those wickedly high heels were still on her feet, but this time in a cool blue.

His scowl answered a question she did not ask and she swung to her feet and was upon them and striding towards him in a matter of seconds. "Now, shall we talk about details?"

"Yes, sure, let's talk." He steered her towards the table and pushed her into a chair, telling himself it was not because he didn't want to see her injuring herself. "How on Earth do you imagine anyone believing you're my bodyguard?"

"They're not going to know." Serenity answered smoothly. Stretching her legs out she nodded towards the gossip column. "The mag's already got the right idea."

He went over and snatched it up. He hadn't paid much attention to the words scrawled along the top. "Ambassadorial heights for Lady of the World?" He asked dubiously. "What's this supposed to be?" But he flicked open to the page where there was sure to be insight to their lives. Sure enough them eating dinner in such an intimate setting was prevalent and they were looking at one another enthralled. The article talked about how they were dating and how they finally got a glimpse of one of those such dates. The elusive couple had been seen together briefly before but they preferred to keep theirs on the down-low. "What's this?"

"A magazine." Serenity responded glibly. A smile wanted to break free on the side of her mouth, but she fought to keep it down.

"I'm well aware of that, but what is this about?"

"Our cover story. We met at the party and hit it off, so we have arranged to meet in all the cities we had in common. All I had to do was rearrange some of my destinations, and then coupled with the fact that I seem to disappear off the public's radar for awhile at a time, it seemed like the ideal solution."

"But we're not a couple. Nobody's going to believe that." Endymion shot a hand through his hair in frustration and he was surprised to see that her eyes followed the action. "I don't even know what you're job is. How do they know who you are if you're a bodyguard?"

"Because I'm much more than that." Serenity responded, getting back up to her feet. "Look this has been interesting, but we're not accomplishing anything and you have a meeting later on this afternoon. I'd like for the security detail to be established before we go anywhere. There is still much to be done."

"Security detail? I thought you were the bodyguard."

This time she did smile. "I said I was your personal bodyguard. I didn't say I was the only one. With my celebrity status I've had my own fleet of guards and they've accompanied me in the past, so their appearance won't be suspect now. We don't want anyone to think you've upgraded securities. Not only do we want to appear calm for the public's sake, but also the one that has been threatening you shouldn't know that their threats have been taken seriously for several reasons."

"How do you imagine that you'll protect me?" Endymion growled.

"I assure you, I have not failed in protecting anyone in the past and you will not be any different."

"I'm not going anywhere or discussing anything with you until you explain a few things." Serenity sighed heavily at his demands and sat down across from him. He was right, she couldn't make him physically do anything. He sat across from her, obviously pleased and his entire manner seemed to snap 'Good!' "Why go through all this trouble? Why not just come to me and tell me it straight away."

He didn't want to share that he felt betrayed through the manner in which she had approached him. Though he did not call her _again_, he was interested and now to learn that she had only been talking to him because of her job discouraged him.

Serenity reached out and covered his hand with hers, but he pulled it away, already once that had caused problems for them. "I wanted it to appear legit, this was all part of the process. I have my own identity to uphold and we needed some convenient way of meeting. Something that to all others, including yourself, appeared unexpected and natural. So I swung by a buddy of mine and had him bring me to the political party. I also needed to see your security detail in action. I had plenty of specs but I wanted to see how easy it was to get to you.

Quite, by the way. I didn't know you, and I could come up to you unawares and touch you. It would have been easy to kill you at that moment had I been the perp. I also wanted to see how much trouble I would run into accosting you outside the political arena. You keep a very consistent schedule and go to the same places every time you are in an area.

You are also always alone. It was not a pleasant discovery. I knew then that I would have to up the stakes a little. I was always to be your bodyguard but with that knowledge I knew I had to increase the numbers. It was also needed to stage the scene which would cause people to speculate about our relationship. It was handy that you invited me to eat with you, otherwise I would have had to find some other way to get raunchy photographs."

"That was a set up as well?" Endymion couldn't believe it. It was like every decent thing he had once believed it could very well possibly be a lie. He should have known it by the time he turned ten, with the way his life was. He had, but he was always trying to tell himself that outside the family, outside the political sphere, there had to be human decency.

He had thought Serenity to be a plain speaker and be who she appeared to be. He was very much mistaken. He sat back in awe of the depths which she and, he was just guessing, her team went to. It was only lucky that she was on the side of good, or at least one version of that.

"Look, if you think that I've deceived you, I haven't meant to. It's part of my job to get close in order to better protect them. Sometimes that job is only required for a day or sometimes for a bit longer than that. But I assure you, my team will find the one targeting you, and we will not only protect you, but also take him or her down."

Endymion very badly wanted to scowl at her, but she looked so tiny, almost like a doll sitting there and he felt his own protective needs appearing. "How could you protect anyone? A bullet would just whiz right past you and hit me in the chest."

"I have protected people taller than yourself. I am not allowed to share past clients, but one was a basketball star. Don't underestimate me because of my height. I am quick and agile and nobody sees me coming. They all make that mistake and think I am not a risk." Serenity swung her legs innocently just to prove her point and Endymion could very well see that holding up. "Now can we get down to business?"

"Not quite yet, I have one more question for you." At her nod, he continued. "What makes you famous in your own right?"

"You really have no idea?" Serenity shook her head, amused. "I guess you don't look much further than your own field. I am a fashion icon. I have been in the news just about as long as you have. I have several lines and my face is plastered everywhere. I started out as a child star but morphed into something else entirely. Like you, I followed in my family's footsteps." She gave a little giggle. "Well, mostly."

"So you're an icon the world over, but how can you also be a bodyguard?"

"I told you, I'm more than that. Bodyguard is just one role I play. My celebrity status is the perfect cover for everything else I need to do. Unfortunately that means I can't go out into the field unknown and so the high risk cases I take are less than I would otherwise."

"So you're kind of like Nikita?"

"Something like that." She agreed. "Though she's a face hidden from the media."

"Alright Alias, lets get down to business."

"To defeat the huns." Serenity teased and he wasn't quite sure he got the reference, but he was impressed that he had already two references of his own to sling at her. But that was about the extent of his arsenal. He didn't venture into the entertainment world very often. Serenity sighed and she just looked at him. "Really, I think you might be my most boring client. At least the others got references like that. Depending how long I have to shack up with you, I might think of broadening your knowledge base a bit more."

He was sure he should feel offended for being considered boring, but really, that's exactly what he was. Then a few of her other words started to filter into his quick logic and realized what exactly she'd just said. "Shacking up with me?" Did his voice croak a little at the idea? Any other circumstance and he might agree, but she was here on a purely business arrangement. Not one that he was exactly fond of.

"Oh? I didn't mention that?" Serenity laughed. "Well as far as the media is concerned, I'm going to be your girlfriend in every sense of the word."

"And as far as we're concerned?" Endymion felt like his throat was a little strangled. She was looking at him oddly and he realized he must sound it too. What she must be thinking of him!

She hopped down to her feet and came over to the side of his chair. She ran her hands up his bare arms and down his smooth chest. His hands came about her narrow waist on their own accord. "Well... That's entirely up to... _me._" Then she grinned and backed off. "I'll be sleeping in the second bedroom. Though don't be surprised if you see other men camped out in here." She nodded towards the living room.

Endymion scowled at her, not sure what game she was playing at. "Are you usually this carefree with rules of conduct between client and bodyguard?"

"Oh that? That was just to show you that we can make it appear very real if we need to. But to answer your question, behind closed doors, we will be exactly what we are. There will be no further relationship than the strictly platonic one." He felt a little disappointed at her words and wondered if she'd even been put into a situation she couldn't handle because some guy got it into their head that she was more interested in them than she was and they confused reality with their game play. She didn't appear to have ever suffered from that, but she was a good actress. He just hoped that nothing had happened, despite being annoyed at her for her ploy, he couldn't help but admire her and not just physically.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked dryly, knowing that nothing he said would change anything. Andrew had been all too frank with him about _that_!

"We'll need to get rid of your secretary." Serenity started, already going down the mental list of things that needed to be done in her head.

"What?" Endymion was put out. "But he's a good secretary!" He tried to catch up to this woman who had just taken over his life. Usually _he_ was the one making all the decisions and had women melting in his hands. She had just thrown him for a loop. He tried to be silky now, but she had a very taunting backside as she wandered about the room. "Besides, most women prefer their boyfriends not to have a female secretary."

She cast a lazy eye over him, as if knowing exactly what he was doing. "While most girlfriends do, I will agree with you there, a male secretary is preferable, but this time, it will be a male secretary that I've chosen for a very different reason."

His secretary was good, had all of the event coordinating and planning down, and he didn't want to waste time in training someone else, especially one that would only be there for a week tops. "Can't we just hire yours on as a second? Mine can still do all the heavy lifting but yours will be in charge of the face to face meetings?"

She paused to consider that and she was slowly nodding to herself as she figured it all out. "Yes, yes, we can do that. It'll be good so that my man can have more time watching you instead of running around trying to do a completely different job as well. We can swing it and say that with the two of us to consider, it was just too much work for poor Freddo on his own. I'll have my own secretary as well and the other man can be the mediator."

Ugh, that was three men then that he had to deal with. "Anyone else I should know about?" That would be a total of two male bodyguards and then Serenity.

"Of course. Nobody knows they're bodyguards. I have to have two on hand that are visually what they claim to be. Though they'll try and fail to just be men in dark suits and earpieces, but they'll have to be a distance away, like they've always been."

"Those were your guards at the party?" He asked a little skeptically.

"Oh those on the grounds? No, those were the party ones, though we had a hand in the hiring process. You couldn't see mine, they're that good. Not unless you were looking for them specifically. They weren't even in the same room. Then there was the bartender and the waitstaff, some of which were on my payroll and shall be again soon."

"I have a feeling you're not just my personal bodyguard. Don't you have to tell this to your boss and see what he says?"

"I'm the leader of this crew. I do have a boss somewhere up the chain of command but I only ever see him when I give him the spending report and if I need something else. Sometimes he comes to my aid when- er, never mind. I said too much. But yeah, all the men will be answering to me, and not one bit of it will look out of place."

"We don't really need three secretaries do we?" He tried one last time to appease to her, to keep his preservation of privacy and sanctuary.

"Yes, we do." Serenity denied. "Despite how it looks, mine will actually be doing some secretarial work as well. He has been with me on all of my missions and this will be no different. I've told you, I am an international sensation. There is a reason for that. I can only be helped out so much and then I have to do the rest."

That he could see and watched her open the bedroom door to where she would be staying. Though she had looked it over before, she was nodding once more. "Yes, this will do for the week."

He had a feeling that he would be putting up all these men and this tiny woman for a long time. And he would be the one paying for it as well, or rather his government. He cleared his throat. "Wouldn't it be better just to rent suites with more bedrooms." He hoped his living room would be bare of people so then he could continue on with his daily patterns.

She shook her head. "This will do for now. My secretary will be bunking downstairs with yours. But the next time we go somewhere, we shall be renting either an apartment or a house, depending on which is more likely to be found or secure." She paused for a moment as if listening to something he couldn't hear and she gave a swift nod, swerving towards him. "Then once this world tour has sufficed, we shall be going back to your current country of residence and living with you there until your next tour of duty or relocation." There was a question in her eyes, but she deemed it not important enough to ask at this moment.

"And I have no say in this?" At the look she gave him, he knew with a sinking feeling that was the truth. But for the time being, he was stuck with her, and despite the limitations and impingement on his freedom and space, he wasn't sure he was completely hating the idea.

"Nope. For the meantime we shall enjoy our time here in Bratislava." And because there was only a few more days left to this gruesome week in this country, he wouldn't bulk. Not like he wanted to at any rate. Though she would feel the fact that he didn't welcome any of this into his stead.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

–

He was hating. Oh man was he hating it!

Though probably not for the reasons most would suspect. Then again, they'd probably bash him over the head because he was crazy for not trying to grab her up and taking advantage of the fact that he had her with him almost twenty four hours a day and most of that time in private. But she had an invisible earpiece that probably couldn't hear him, but could hear her and she could hear everything they said.

That was enough to make him stay away from her. Though there were moments where he wanted to reach out to her and pull her to him for a kiss. It would be something she'd never forget. "You think awfully highly of yourself, don't you?" Serenity was saying and his heard jerked up, thinking she might have heard him say it out loud. He worried for a brief moment about that, but brushed it aside when she wasn't even looking at him. She was leaning through the open window and her cute bottom was the only thing he could really see. And her shapely legs.

He heard a deep male laughter and realized that someone was outside. Endymion slowly made his way over and saw that it was one of the bodyguards 'she' had. They were on the ground level and Endymion could see both of them now from where he stood. The man reached up and tugged on a chunk of her hair. He couldn't hear his reply, but whatever it was, made Serenity laugh as well.

"All right, enough chitchat. It's time to finish my search." Serenity pushed away from the window sill and closed it before wandering into another room. She didn't even spare him a glance as she walked away. Endymion was seriously beginning to doubt her fabled abilities. She was never around and he didn't see too much change, except for more bodies on the grounds.

He turned away from her disappearing form and turned almost into the man who she had been talking to. "What's the matter?" Endymion asked, when they were indoors, Serenity disappeared but the other guards seemed to be at his elbows at all times. He wouldn't have minded if it were the other way around. Though he still probably would have.

"Just checking on you." The man responded behind dark sunglasses, giving nothing away.

"Do you really have to be this close?" Endymion muttered once more. He had no peace and quiet, there was always someone else in the room with him. This was really starting to get irritating.

"It's just part of our job. People assume if they see me, then Serenity is near by. Just can't see her." He paused and gave a curt nod. "Do you realize how many members of the press we've had to force away from the gates as they're trying to capture an image, even through the windows and blinds?" Not to mention the gates themselves.

Endymion didn't care about the press, they'd always been there. They often tried to get juicy gossip, but usually there wasn't anything news worthy about how he spent his free time. Now less than normal, though with Serenity nearby he was sure the press was thinking there'd be _more_ juicy gossip.

Scowling, Endymion left the room, he didn't want to be here with the guy who had just been flirting with Serenity. The man followed him outside to his detached garage. The door opened up slowly and the man was talking to his wrist. Endymion tried to ignore him. "Going somewhere?"

Endymion jumped a mile high as Serenity suddenly appeared at his elbow. He turned towards her and his frown deepened. "I'm going for a drive."

"That sounds great, I'll come with you!" She beamed and for a moment he considered taking her, thinking she was telling the truth, but realized she probably only wanted to come to keep an eye on him.

"No thanks." He bit out. "I intend to drive alone."

A frown flickered across her features for a moment and then she gave a small shrug. "All right but my men will follow you." She gave him a measuring look and he knew whatever she said next, he was supposed to follow to the letter. "Don't get any funny tricks in mind." Then she sauntered away back towards the house.

Endymion unlocked his car and slid into the driver's seat on the right. He backed out and then got to the gate. Her goons were following right behind him. Since he lived on the outskirts of town, he took off in the direction away from it, wanting to feel the speed beneath his hands. The open roads allowed him to do so.

He had to slow down as he entered a smaller city, but still a city. To his annoyance the two men in the car behind him had kept up with him practically the entire way. He sat in the right lane of a six lane road. He could either wait to turn right when the light deemed it capable or wait to go straight. To his left there was another straight lane and then further left was a left turn lane. Behind him the other car sat. The light was red but he was the first car in the intersection. The cross traffic just got the go-ahead to start moving. Endymion made an impulse decision, one he knew he would have to listen to later, but he gunned it and shot out just before the first cars reached him. He turned left with the traffic and cut over to turn a right and started weaving his way through the city, even heading back right passed the earlier road he had been on.

Then he was leaving the city in a direction he couldn't even be sure of himself. After several minutes he was in the free and clear. He relaxed back into his seat and started picking up speed once more. With ambassador plates, even in his own country, he could be pulled over, but he wouldn't get a ticket. He saw someone turning onto the road behind him, their speed picking up with considerable pace, and he slid over a lane to allow them to pass. They moved in just behind him but didn't go any slower. He moved over again, wanting to allow them access if they were unsure where to go. They got behind him again. The entire time his foot kept going down on the gas pedal and they were keeping up with him the entire time.

A car was pulling out in front of him and he narrowly managed to avoid it, but he had to slam on his breaks and weaved around. The car was going in the opposite direction and the one following him was lucky enough to be able to continue straight. They avoided him due to his quick thinking and reduced speed. He went into a tail spin and when he finally stopped spinning, his car was on the edge of the road, two tires already off towards the ditch. Then the car tipped over and landed on its hood. It slid down off the road a few feet, hidden from view from normal every day traffickers. The car that was at fault didn't stop or slow down at all. The one that had followed him, continued on as well, going too fast to stop or even backtrack.

Endymion sat upside down for quite awhile. For most of that time he was coming to grips with what just happened. It was only his logical side of his brain that ruled most of his actions had him calling Serenity once the car was stationary. He gave her the best directions he could. Then he worked on calming his pulse. Something she would only hitch up once more when he saw her and he would rather keep it somewhere in the middle rather than adding to it.

He heard a car not as long after his phone call as he would have imagined. Then a sound of a truck following close behind. He heard a whistle. "Whoo... that poor car!"

Then long thin legs clad in black pants were in his line of sight. "Too bad you chose not to wear a skirt this time." He grumbled, and wasn't sure if she heard him.

Then she was perched down next to his car, one hand on the undercarriage. "Did you know your wheels are spinning?" She was grinning at him and was rather perky for being at the scene of a car accident. "How's all that blood rushing to your head?"

"You've done a wonderful job protecting me." He snapped. Couldn't she have been at least a little concerned over him? "A car ran me off the road! They could have killed me!"

She was laughing at him as she surveyed the inside of the car and then looked at him. "If you hadn't ditched the escort, then we wouldn't be having this problem at all. So really I can't protect you if you shun my help." She was as bright as the shirt she was wearing. "Are you ready to come out now? Or are you still skulking? Cause if you aren't, I'll let you gawk at my legs some more once you come out." The way she was leaning in now, to look for his seat-belt release had him gawking at another part of her anatomy all together.

It made him uncomfortable. "I can manage." His voice was strangled and he tried to clear it. He didn't want her hands anywhere near his pelvic region.

She held up her hands and backed away. "Will you finally give in to the help I'm trying to offer you?"

Endymion sighed and agreed. "Sure-ooph." His release of the seat-belt hadn't been planned out and suddenly he was lying with his face smashed up against the glass and his legs over his head. She was laughing again! She reached in and tried to straighten him out. Other hands were on his arms and neck and they were pulling him out of the car. "I could have been seriously injured!"

"Doubtful. The car looks to be in pretty good shape despite being upside down. You were wearing your seat-belt."

"I'm surprised the guys didn't come back and finish me off." Endymion had to give it to her, she certainly was assured she knew when someone was injured or not. Now looking at the damage done to his car, another point went in her favor. There was hardly any damage at all. It looked even staged for a photo shoot or something.

Serenity was shaking her head, the blond strands waving in the air with her movement, too long though to be blowing about from the motion alone. She was still as peppy as she'd been since she announced that _she _was his bodyguard. "Nope, if they wanted to kill you, they would have. You wouldn't have been walking away from this scene. They were just intending to scare you. Apparently you have something they want."

"I don't have anything." Endymion argued, her men were checking him out for any breaks or bruises. Really except for his fall against the windshield, he probably didn't have any of the latter.

She made a face and he didn't think that it was very professional but it wasn't disrespectful either. "You have lots of power, Ambassador. You have the power to agree to something or turn it down. You have information on current politicians in power and ones past. You have got dirt on everyone and nobody's really got any on you. It doesn't have to be something physically in your hands. Nobody except the people can remove you from your position and even then you don't have too many competitors and the people don't care what you do. They think others are the ones to blame and rightly so, for the most part."

He was impressed with what she knew about him, but then again she had been spying on him before he even met her and then spying on him afterwards too. She was just good at doing her homework before a case, and this time he was her case. She'd forget everything that wasn't directly important to her the next time and place she went.

Reluctantly, he had to admit though, she was right. He wouldn't be having this conversation with her if they had intended to do him more harm. They might not have even meant to push him off the road and definitely wouldn't stay behind to see what happened to him. He might recognize them and they'd be in trouble. They could very well have pushed him off themselves.

"Ready to go?" She asked and then frowned as she listened to something he couldn't hear. The others with them nodded, they'd heard it too and moved in around them. Serenity threw herself into his side and clung onto his shirt at his abdomen. Her fingers brushing against his front. It drew in involuntary at the surprise touch. Serenity was looking up at him with distraught on her features. It was at such odds of her regular personality that he found himself off kilter and pulling her closer in an attempt to soothe. Maybe she had been worried?

Then a van pulled up and several people jumped out. He realized just seconds before a flash went off that it was a reporter and her news-crew. The camera man, the photographer the sound-man (whatever the technical term for it was), the techie. He was blinded for a moment by the bright light and then he was standing up taller and getting annoyed once more, though he had learned long ago not to show it. Serenity standing so close and _touching_ would have to feel his muscles clenching but then he slowly relaxed them and tried to offer up a smile.

"Serenity? Are you all right?" The reporter asked as Serenity was still looking at him, and this time when he looked down at her he saw concern. He wondered if this emotion was real or not. She seemed so unflappable, so god-damn cheerful about everything, especially as she got to tell him 'I told you so'. Endymion wanted to move her away from him, but knew she wouldn't let him and it would only add weight to anyone's doubts about them. So Endymion kept his arms around her and watched as she slowly turned her eyes towards the cameras.

To his chagrin tears started welling up in her eyes. "I'm all right, but it was just so awful. One minute we were driving and then the next, we were upside down!"

It took Endymion a minute to catch up, she was claiming she was in the car with him? She was very, very cleaver. "What about your bodyguards? Why weren't they behind the wheel or even with you when it tipped?"

How could they know that? Endymion's brows came together wondering what was happening. "We wanted to get away from it all for a little while. We can't fit the guards in the backseat so Endymion and I rode together. I guess we lost them a little while back. We'll have to get more so I can feel safe again." The little minx just managed to make his life a bit more unbearable.

He wanted to bare his teeth at her, but he held back. She was very good at what she did. "Endymion? How about you? Are you all right?"

"Yes. I'm not entirely sure what happened myself. Luckily no one was hurt." Endymion managed to cover quickly, for he too could handle the press. "Now, as Serenity is very shook up, I think we should go back home, shouldn't we darling?" Where had that come from? But the media was loving it and then a whole round of photos went off. "You'll have to vet this video with my management team." Endymion told the news reporter quickly who only nodded and waved him away.

Well sure enough, Endymion thought on the way back to his house, the media was just about to get something _more_ gossipy. It was mostly due to his big mouth and stupid choices, but also to do with her flinging herself at him.

They sat in the backseat with her bodyguard and secretary ahead of them. Once inside and away from the press, other vans coming up just as they wee leaving, Serenity scooted far away from him. He could probably touch her hand if she would put it between them.

The trip back was longer than the trip out and they sat in silence for a long time. Then Serenity's head tilted towards him and though she was still dazzling in her brightness, she asked him a question. "Are you really all right?"

Endymion took a moment to check himself before he answered. Then he nodded slowly, but before he could say anything her head bounced and then she was back to looking forward and she was leaning against the panel between them and the front seat and she was talking to those ahead of her. Endymion was feeling rather left out as she did that. Though she probably thought talking to him was boring and that's why she avoided it. She'd have more in common with her guards than she would with him. Endymion leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

*Warning, I do not know if this is actually how it works, but it's how I'm going to describe it. :)

–

For a few days Endymion worked at home. He had his car now to fix up, which he did with his own two hands. He caught Serenity staring at him a few times from either inside the house and behind a window or leaning against the garage opening. The only other times he really saw Serenity were when she was in the garden and suntanning though never in a swimsuit.

"Don't you get lines doing that?" He'd asked, secretly wondering if she didn't want to show off in front of him. She'd shrugged and went back to laying in the sun. He often found himself wondering if she really was a bodyguard or just paid to appear like one to her clients. He never saw her doing any work, though a lot of time she did disappear and reappear but wasn't sure how she got in and out of the throng without being seen.

He also found her outside during the night time, looking up into the sky and watching the moon make its way across the darkened path. She gave him the most space out of all the bodyguards. She hardly talked to him and it wasn't because she was an innately quiet person. If she was around others, they were always busy chatting.

Perhaps it was because she had tiny voices in her ear all day long that she'd prefer not to spend any moment with an actual person who didn't know when to be quiet. He was sure there was chatter all the time, and he caught her smiling a few times before she murmured something back. She was always with someone. The really odd thing that attracted him to that idea was that she was always with someone else. If you were on the other end of that ear-bud, then you'd have her with you always even if you couldn't see her.

Somehow she stayed in shape as well, but he didn't know how. She was up before he was and went to bed after him. She never looked tired and he kept long hours. There were several hours during the day though that he didn't see her and she could be exercising then.

One of the things he learned about her through this experience was she didn't cook. He highly doubted she could. It wasn't that they had food ordered in, that was actually rare. They hadn't brought a chef in either, like Endymion sometimes did if he knew he was going to be too busy during the week. In fact the men seemed to take turns cooking but Serenity was never included in that rotation. Even the men that Endymion thought wouldn't know their way around the kitchen produced some fabulous meals. He'd never seen Serenity go into it unless it was to raid leftovers or get a glass of whatever moved her that day to drink.

He wanted to tease her about being a woman and not knowing how to cook. Even if she was a modern day woman, that only meant she was supposed to know how to do _everything _better than a man. Which she was proving to be true in everything she _did_ do. Perhaps this was a way to keep her energy up instead, not bother with the cooking. He kind of doubted it.

Endymion kept in pretty good shape, exercising regularly, eating healthy when he could fit a diet into his life, and keeping busy outside of the office. After a month with Serenity and her companions, he'd found himself on the last hole in his belt and realized that he'd lost a fair amount of weight. He didn't look any scrawnier, perhaps it was just shifting? Her male bodyguard helpers were cooking very healthy meals and they were all large. Even the secretaries. He didn't know quite what to account for the change in waist size.

He brought it up to Serenity on a rare occasion when she sat down for dinner with him. "Oh?" Serenity laughed. "That's just because you aren't used to it. You'll be putting pounds back on shortly. You'll see."

"Will I gain weight?"

She waved off his concern. "You'll stick about the same weight you were before, but it'll probably be slightly less. But you'll feel a lot better. Healthier, more active, energized."

"You sound like a battery commercial." Endymion complained and she giggled at the idea, but now that he said it, she really did remind him of the energizer bunny. Sometimes even had the ears too. Though she wasn't pink and hardly wore that color. Good thing too, because cotton candy pink was nauseating. She kept going and going and going, even when she was laying out in the sun.

Sure enough a few days later and he was back to the last hole on his belt. Later that same day he looked up at her when he was working on one of his other cars. The house work had been done for him and he just didn't feel like working on any of the structure things he was planning on. It was still too early in the Spring season for that.

"What do you watch me like this for?" He gestured to her in the doorway, but not coming in.

She lifted one shoulder delicately and then let it fall. "I am curious about you. You grew up in a house quite similar to this one and always lived the high life and yet, now, I see you getting your hands dirty and working on cars."

"I also build things out of wood and housing materials." He added, putting his head up next to the engine for a moment and then walked away satisfied. He got into the driver's seat, this one on the wrong side and started the engine. It turned over and then after a second where he thought he had it wrong, it revved and ran like it should. He cut it and then closed the hood. He turned back to her, wiping his hands on a dirty rag. She was still looking at him, waiting for an explanation. "I was a very lonely boy and bored. I wasn't allowed video games and nobody really wanted to be friends with me. Other ambassador children were in the same situation I was but they were only around during the visits and sometimes diplomats' kids would be around but they either left after a year or we did. It wasn't really a life that supported children. I was towed with to parties, but the others weren't usually. I learned how to be proper with my first words. They weren't 'mummie' or 'daddie', but rather 'I am very pleased to meet you, how do you do?'"

Serenity held his gaze for a long time. "That sounds like a horrible childhood."

"You once told me that yours was somewhat similar. Always in the limelight. If anyone would know how it goes, you would. So I don't know why you are shocked by the truth."

"I- I suppose we had opposite ends of the spectrum. I had parents who weren't very proper. They let me do whatever I wanted and I was put into some very tricky situations at a young age. I learned how to maneuver out of them." She didn't elaborate on what kind of situations.

He almost felt for her. But everything she did was staged to get the most out of the people around her. She planned for every continuation and if she didn't, she used what was given to her to her advantage, twisting it until it laid straight in the hole she made for it. Endymion wouldn't fall into it this time, already she'd deceived him more than once. He fell for it every time. Hers couldn't be much of a sob story if she turned out to be so cheerful about everything.

She pushed off away from the wall and turned away, walking back towards the main house. He almost felt bad, his lack of a response to her words must have deterred her from talking to him further. But she held the upper hand in all of this and he pushed that away, maybe she was just bored with him.

He finished cleaning off his hands. His vacation was almost up and he had to go into work after the weekend. During which, he'd like to go and have some fun elsewhere. Preferably without the blond and her entourage, but if he needed them, he'd deal with it.

He found one of the men he actually liked. "Nic." He greeted the man with shaggy brown hair. "What do you say to the two of us slipping out for a beer somewhere?"

"Serenity won't like that." Nic looked at the gate but the other guards had pushed them down to the other one, away from viewing their home. Endymion hardly recognized the gate, there were no longer bushes obscuring the view to the house, but that also meant the guards could see anyone coming up to it more clearly as well, from further away. One of his rooms was taken over and became a freshly installed camera room to watch all that went on around them. He was sure he spied a few computers as well to track traffic.

"Come on, you'll be with me, what's the worse that could happen? I'll have a bodyguard, Serenity can't say no to that can she?"

"She'd want to come with." Nic had been tempted, no man was used to being holed up for so long. They had gotten nights off while they were on the road. The only one who hadn't spent the night somewhere other than his hotel room had been Serenity.

"The woman doesn't always have to be with the man. Even the fact that you're a bodyguard can be overlooked. We can be friends having a beer together and you just happen to work for my girlfriend."

"Let me ask." Nic held up his hand and turned away from Endymion slightly. He spoke in low tones and Endymion couldn't hear him. Then he turned back to Endymion. "Serenity's agreed to let me have the night off."

"Or at least that's what we'll tell anyone who asks, right?" Endymion asked dryly but Nic shook his head. "No?"

"Nope, she's actually letting me have the night off. I'm only responsible for getting you home in one piece and then I can go see whoever I want or sleep where ever I want. I could even just call it in and Serenity will come pick you up like a good girlfriend if I want to slag off before you."

With that knowledge in mind, Endymion and Nic went out for a night drinking. It was around three AM when Nick met a girl who was as horny as he was. "Hold on babe, I need to call someone real quick since we'll be leaving with the car keys." Nic wasn't going to drive, but neither should Endymion. The phone was out and he was talking in it quickly and quietly and in another language. Endymion turned his head so he could listen better and was surprised when he heard the Spanish but it was curiously missing one of the forms of address and the more formal version was in its place. Endymion wondered if that was the relationship they'd had or, as the accent and other word choices were telling him, the Spanish they learned wasn't from their neighboring country here in England.

Then Nick hung up and they stuck around until Serenity's car came into sight. Serenity rose out from the back seat and only one man followed her. "Endymion." She smiled widely at him and then turned to give Nick a smaller smile. "Nicki."

"I'm leaving you in good hands, mate." Nic clasped a hand onto Endymion's shoulder and then with a wave to Serenity, the two of them went off to enjoy the rest of the night.

"Ready to go?" She reached for him but he pulled back, annoyed that she would touch him. She didn't respond and only opened the door for him in the back. He climbed in and this time it was he who sat at the other end. She sat down on her side and closed the door. The driver got in and Endymion was annoyed to see it was the one flirting with Serenity earlier.

The road back to his house was quiet and the weather outside while still cool, was warmer than the temperature in the car, despite the faint heat coming from the vents.

When they got back to the house, Endymion was the first one out and he thought he was making good time back to the main building. Serenity caught up with him easily and with heels higher than he'd seen before. Her head actually almost reached his jaw now. "You must be walking on tiptoes."

"I was a ballerina in another life." She dismissed his comment and he was surprised to see that he had also felt faint concern. Those couldn't be good for her feet.

"That would account for it." He responded gruffly and then once they were inside the house and she shut the door, he grabbed her and brought her to him. When he leaned forward to kiss her, she bent backwards and turned her face. She was even shoving at his shoulders to keep away. He let her go when he realized what he was doing. She hadn't even given him one second to account for his actions, she hadn't been leading him on except for when it was clear she was doing her job.

He released her instantly and when she tipped over and landed on her backside, he hesitated before offering her a hand up. She took it and with his surprising strength, she popped back up onto her feet. She wobbled for a moment, not expecting to be taken _off_ of them on the way up and then she got them back under control. "Serenity-" He started but she was shaking her head, not wanting to hear it. "No really, I'm sorry. It was uncalled for and you have every right to want to leave after this."

She snorted and it was so unlady like that it pulled him out of his sudden mood. "You're not getting rid of me that easy. I still have a job to do and there hasn't been any headway on the other side. If you think you can scare me off with one drunken pass, you've got another think coming!"

Endymion started to laugh as he filtered that through. If he had been smart, he would have tried that ages ago! "I am sorry." He sobered a little. "It still shouldn't have happened. I don't try to take advantage of girls."

"Relax. Go to bed." She pushed him gently towards the staircase and he did as she said. When he got to near the landing he could see in the reflection of one of the mirrors on the staircase that she was watching him go with an odd look on her face. He couldn't place it. But when he got to his room, he landed in his bed and slept the whole night, something he hadn't done since Serenity first entered his life.

The next morning, he still felt bad for his unwanted advances. But when he found her at the breakfast table, alone, she was talking to him like nothing had happened. He couldn't find a time to bring it back up again. Perhaps she really had forgiven him. Then others came in and snagged some breakfast as well.

Then she was gone, off to do something else that he didn't know about, but he saw her leaving the house. "Where'd my personal bodyguard go?" Endymion asked, sitting back down with the others.

"She has to go do her thang. Keep her face in the pictures. Nic's meeting up with her, if he remembered where he put his pants." A blond haired man started laughing at his own joke. Perhaps Nic had a tendency to do things like that. "Man with the way you were swaying last night, I'm surprised Serenity didn't put you to bed herself. How'd you make it up the stairs?"

Perhaps that's why he caught her looking at him while he left. "Ignore Jeb." The least favorite of his guards said. "He doesn't know when to shut his mouth."

"That's not true!" He protested, but then realized what he'd said and then shrugged. "All right, I suppose it is. But Nic's the one with the problem."

If what they said was true, no wonder Serenity wasn't angry, she'd seen how plastered he was and probably thought any girl would do. How did he not feel that way? Though he did sleep through the night. That might have been a contributing factor. It probably also helped reduce any hangover he might have after a night partying it up with Nick. He knew now that in the future if he asked Nick to go out for a drink that he'd be getting a lot more in return.

"I bet Nick's getting a thorough tongue lashing. Probably why she wanted him to join her today." Zed added as an after thought.

Endymion was about to leave when he said that. He hesitated at the door way and Jeb continued. "Allowing Endymion to get drunk like that and not to mention Nic's own level of intoxicity was wholly unprofessional. I'm surprised she saved it for today."

"Don't be foolish. Nic probably wasn't that drunk." Kai, the only one who didn't have a legal name longer than those three letters, snapped.

It was Jeb that had been Endymion's least favorite and for a first time he was seeing that Jeb was a flirtatious guy. He didn't take things too seriously as Kai was showing he was the opposite. Endymion begun to relax. Perhaps Endymion had misread what there was between the two of them. Serenity was bright, friendly and maybe even a little flirtatious with everyone. Jeb seemed quite similar to her. They were even both blond and blue eyed. Perhaps they were just a lot alike and that's why they got along so well.

Endymion continued on his way out, the four men seemed to get along well, a little irritated at each other at times, but they worked like a well-oiled machine. His secretary wasn't often with him, preferring to set things up over the phone or when Endymion was at work. Serenity's two 'secretaries' had coordinated well with his, not making his feel overridden and yet not letting him into what their real jobs were. In fact Nic was often on the phone with him and related what was going on to Endymion. That's why he'd seen more of Nic's personality and had decided he liked him, because he was the one that he worked most closely with. While working, Nic seemed calm and respectable. While partying, the same didn't hold up. At work though was all that really mattered.

Zed was Serenity's secretary and to be fair Endymion thought he was a little odd to be a bodyguard, which is probably why she put him in the role of secretary instead. That was smart of her. Nobody would suspect either Serenity or Zed to be a threat. For what Serenity need Zed for, he seemed to do well and had a knack for it. Endymion wasn't quite sure what it was, but Zed was always perfectly groomed without a hair out of place and immaculate appearance. He was also highly fashion forward in not only his appearance but in his advice for Serenity. Since that was her niche in the celebrity world, he was a perfect addition to her team.

Kai and Jeb were the muscle. They looked it too. Jeb was smaller than Kai but he had a way of switching off his personality and looked intimidating in a dark suit, blocking the door. Kai swamped Jeb but not everybody could be as fierce as Kai or as untouchable. Nic had the body for it, and the personality at times but he could see why Serenity put him there as well. There needed to be a firm secretary somewhere. Endymion wondered who else she would bring in if she was serious the day before about adding more security. He hoped not and he didn't even know where she'd find more men to walk the grounds. Endymion didn't really understand what went on behind the scenes but there were sometimes arrangements made with people he never saw. Like where the van came from yesterday.

Endymion couldn't believe that he was actually thinking Serenity had done him a favor and knew exactly where to place people for the best effect. He didn't want them in his life. He didn't personally think he needed them, despite the run off yesterday and the stack of threatening letters in his desk drawer upstairs. Most of which Andrew hadn't even seen. Though the other man knew him too well and probably suspected that Endymion had only shown him a handful of the letters, the rest thrown into the drawer not taken seriously and the ones he did show him were like pulling nails out of his fingers.

Andrew had been the one rarity in his life, the one friend he managed to hang onto despite all the moves. Andrew had a life similar to his, but also vastly different. It was as if Andrew knew he was thinking about him because his phone rang as he was walking away from the kitchen. He knew someone was following him, but Endymion walked into his home office and shut the door behind him, locking his guard out. It was probably Zed. He at least had a bit of knowledge as he worked with Nic on the office information, coordinating movements. Serenity hadn't been lying, they did need all three secretaries.

"Hey Drew." Endymion put the phone between his shoulder and his ear, and pulled out some papers, organizing them as he spoke.

"Dymion." Andrew responded with a laugh. "I know you're probably still settling in with Serenity, I still can't get over the idea of you finally living with a female."

"A female and four other males. It's like the reverse lion's den." Endymion countered, none too pleased by the situation Andrew created for him.

"Still, at least she's attractive enough to allow you to be blind to the men. I could have sent the men on their own. Though it would have been tough to try and explain that." He must have been alone to be talking so bluntly.

"Where did you get her anyway? I imagine you can't just go online and look her up."

"I actually used her myself a few years back. So she comes with my personal recommendation." When Endymion didn't say anything for a long time, Andrew laughed. "I don't know why you're surprised. I am after all the PM."

"Yeah, but you've only been PM for about six months. Luckiest coup in history, youngest PM England's ever seen. Though a few Kings have beat you for being youngest leader title. When and where did you need Serenity for and why didn't I know anything about it?"

"One of her policies is to never talk about her to anyone else, she won't share who used to be clients and she wants the same back. This is the one exception to her rule, as I sent her to guard you. Nobody knows what she really is unless they were a client themselves. A lot of people don't even know she's guarding them. She's very smooth. I would have preferred it for you as well, but it was near impossible with your schedule and cynicism. You wouldn't have asked her along for any reason unless you were forced to. You would have been suspicious if she continued just appearing where you were. She's not an Ambassador. And you definitely wouldn't let her move in and bring her bodyguards under the guise of protecting her."

"You still haven't told me why you used her yourself."

"Mom and dad were getting threats against me when she was PM, they wanted her to step down as they felt that she was too friendly with the King of Norway. Turns out it was Norwegians who had been against the alliance. They didn't want British oil tanks on their lands. Since I had been staying in Prague for school, she appeared one day in my classes as another English speaking student and I was tasked with helping her adjust for her semester abroad."

"There's only one flaw with that- she's a bit too young for us to have been in school together."

"That's when I was getting my graduate degree and doing a TA stint." Andrew reminded him. "She had been a sophomore at the time. And before you ask, she was one of my students."

That made sense, Endymion gave her credit for coming up with such a great in. Endymion had never known they had met, and her face wasn't plastered all over Andrew's. She must have stayed below radar for that one. "What happened then?"

"She and her team found the Norwegians responsible for the threats. They handed them over to the King and he punished them as he saw fit. I still keep on one guard now, which her company is responsible for. I had excellent service with them. I wouldn't have known who she really was except for mother hired her and let it slip when I got back. She really shouldn't have but I was curious how things got resolved. I never knew the bright, charming young woman had been a bodyguard." If Andrew had one of Serenity's men still on his payroll, he must have felt fairly confident that there weren't any listening pieces in _his_ office or tapped onto his phone. Otherwise he wouldn't speak so openly about it. "Long story short, since I was so impressed by her, I've retained her services and since we have such a friendly dynamic she's agreed to be hired by me for this task. I think she personally enjoys the more difficult cases."

"Difficult cases in which the one behind the letters is a harder mystery to solve?" Endymion asked curiously but he heard laughter on the other end of the line. "Well then, what is it?" Endymion was wondering if it had to do with finding a way to fit herself into another person's life and the harder to justify entertained her the most as she had to come up with complex and creative solutions. His might have seemed like a breeze to her. He was on the verge of asking Andrew that when the other man answered.

"Difficult in terms of client. The ones that don't want her there go to further extremes to get rid of her but in the end they're shown they really do need her. She likes to get her feet buried and refused to budge until she's finished."

"Why would she want such aggressive working environments?"

"I'm not sure it's the environment or the task of getting people to loosen up and hand over control for a minute. Letting them into the fact that life is a big joke and people are too serious that they'd live longer if they just relaxed and rolled with the punches. I suppose that's just another way in protecting them as well. She's got a big heart Dymion. Let her do what she does best."

"What if she creates the need for others to be protected her and if she weren't behind it then nobody would call her and thus not filling her need to protect."

"Dymion, she's got two other jobs to satisfy her. This is just one part of the second. She doesn't need to create this kind of chaos. In fact the rest of that job would be easier without this."

"You're not going to tell me what she does?"

"With who you are and her ability to read people, I'm sure she's already told you."

"That was the truth?" Endymion wasn't quite sure he wanted to believe his friend, he'd sic-ed Serenity onto him and that had been one cruel practical joke.

"I can say no more, our positions only allow me to say so much."

"Hmm." There was a long pause after that and then Endymion sighed. "All right, thanks for clearing that up. I'll try to give her a bit of a chance, but she's encroached into my life and that doesn't come with a lot of patience."

"At least she's good-natured. I could have sent you a bruiser."

"True enough." Endymion sank down into his comfortable chair. Some nights he had actually fallen asleep there with his head against the back of it and his eyes closed, thinking. This situation would be dropped for now. Perhaps one day, when it was all over, he'd bring it up again but then he'd be better armed with examples and testaments. He closed his eyes now as he talked to his longest and closest friend. He talked with him more than his own parents when they were still alive and he was living away from home. What would they think of him now? What would they think of this situation? He was sure it was casting some negative opinions in his corner but it was probably also improving his image and taking away at the same time for so many different reasons. There were hundreds of factors that went into polls and surveys and half of them were based on baseless opinions. Things people had no insight or right to say but said them anyway.

Andrew chuckled on his end. "You still there?"

Endymion sighed again. "Yes. What is it that you've called me for?"

"The problem in Syria-"

"Is Jack's problem." Endymion reminded Andrew. He was out of Africa and the Middle East now. Jack had taken over the role of Ambassador for that region. Endymion, being who he was and having his pick of regions decided to stick closer to home now. He could now come back to his house during extended breaks and even swing in a weekend or two if he wanted. His tour through Europe these last few months had been more or less to introduce himself to the conduit and the delegates and foreign service members in his region. He was familiar with some of them and the other Ambassadors had been his acquaintances for years now, but it didn't hurt to get a refresher course and get up to date with all the latest information. He hadn't done so in an official capacity and it allowed others to speak more freely with him. Now that he was back, he had to do some hard work but when he was finished he'd be able to start in this new region. Until then, the one about to retire would still be in charge.

He had also taken some time off to work in the rare sunshine England got and go for a drive and relax a little. Not as much as Serenity seemed to be.

Jack was young, younger than Endymion but not as young as when Endymion stepped into that role officially. The other man just took over two months ago and he was twenty-seven. Jack was also smart and could handle himself there. He was also thrilled with the opportunity to put his mark on the proceedings. Endymion might have been a little jaded having lived that life for twenty-eight years but he was doubtful anyone could undo the damage started long ago in that region. Most Ambassadors though were older when they entered into this level, but Endymion and Jack came from outstanding pedigree and with that came amazing schooling and life choices and experiences. It had paved the way for both of them. Now they were both moving in the directions that their drive propelled them in. Endymion had only good things to say about Jack and wished him well.

"But he's only been in charge for a month. He gets along with the other Englishmen in the area, both party to delicate matters and not but it is the Americans he's having trouble reaching. They think he's too English and set in his ways." Which was true enough as well. Jack had been well groomed and coddled, he'd never stepped foot out of England's posh neighborhoods before college and even then it was only to the highest resorts in the world where he didn't have to associate with anyone under the six-figure tax bracket.

"He'll find a way to work with them. Most of the Americans are understanding and patient. The ones that aren't, all he has to do is crack a crude joke and then when they're laughing they'll forget to hate him and will only recall him with fondness." Endymion was surprised that's all Jack was having trouble with but he refused to ask. He did not want to be drawn into that mess again, not when he had to worry about Europe. There were sometimes crossover between the regions but they usually dealt with inner-conflict and issues. When they crossed regions the Ambassadors would have meetings while those in each country would report back with their findings.

"I'll suggest it. Are you sure you can't help him out any longer?"

"I'm done. I need to finish my break and concentrate on my new area." Endymion disagreed with Andrew's plea. Andrew wanted Endymion around more, so that wasn't it, but with how delicate everything was these days, Endymion was best utilized in the other region but he decided to make the switch and he was going to stick with his decision. If he was unhappy then it would be worse than allowing him to move.

"All right but use this time to relax actually relaxing." Andrew grouched, having several calls to make and spent way too long on the phone with Endymion. As new PM he had to keep on his toes, people were already wondering if he was too young to lead.

"I'll try." Endymion fabricated and he heard Andrew's all knowing tone as the other man spoke again.

"I'll try and get by to your place by the end of the week. If not, please come and join me at mine sometime next week."

"Hopefully by the end of next week I'll be starting up again."

"No worries. The old man isn't really sure he'd ready for retirement and every day he gets more agitated that he's still here. This will be good for him so then he can be sure and then he doesn't leave with regrets and try to get back in it after awhile."

Endymion agreed with his friend's assessment. Once in office you couldn't really force someone out but you needed the PM's support to be elected up into it. Death or retirement were usually the only way out. Kind of like the Supreme Court in America but the people voted in whether or not they agreed with the PM. Endymion hadn't had too many against his rise in office. Jack, a bit more, but that was just because he hadn't been known in the political sphere for too long.

"All right, see you then."

"Ciao."

Endymion hung up the phone and slid it back into his pocket, all without opening his eyes. He must have dozed off for the next thing he knew he was being woken up with a flash going off in his face and a camera lens about level with his nose and only a foot away.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

–

He woke with a start, his mouth opening and him half shouting an unrecognizable profanity, making no sense as it wasn't really meant to be said. Just a protest to the method of waking him. He jerked and looked at what had caused the problem. He was looking into the lens of a camera and then he lifted his eyes upward to see who was holding it, already annoyed.

Endymion wasn't sure if he was surprised or not to see Serenity sitting on his desk holding the Polaroid or not. Already the picture was out and she was waving it to produce the image. She was grinning that beautiful smile at him and he didn't feel capable of holding onto his anger. It was slowly slipping away, but so too was the sleepiness.

"Why are you taking pictures of me?" He asked sitting up straighter and rubbing at his eyes.

"Because you're adorable when you're caught off guard." She turned the picture towards him and he groaned at his mouth hanging open and he was clearly unconscious.

"Aren't you supposed to be protecting me and not causing me more grief?" Then something came to him and he looked over but the door was still closed. "I thought I locked it."

"You did." She agreed, bobbing her head up and down, and he wondered if her face hurt from having such a wide smile plastered on her features. "I broke in."

"The door looks intact." He said slowly, it was a heavy door normally and the lock wasn't something to sneeze about either. It was built so people couldn't just bust it open.

"There are more ways to break in than just mere force." She hopped off the desk and turned away from him. Her legs had been draped over the side of it near his and now she was walking away. Her dress was tight and a deep purple. He recalled two high slits in the front of each leg ending in a button. He wondered what would happen if he undid those. Then again after the night before, he was happy that she was still talking to him, she wouldn't be letting him find out any time soon.

He couldn't stop his mouth from asking the question though. "Why do you always wear such tight clothing?" She had the body for it, sure, so why not?

She stopped and looked over her shoulder at him in somewhat of a surprise. "Why to show off those legs that you're always admiring." Her feet had been in optimal position as she said this so his eyes had to follow one leg up from her foot to her body and then up to her face. Her legs did look great in that skirt, but they'd look great in a flowy one too, anything as long as it was short enough. His eyes must have spoken for him this time as she shook out that long blond hair. "It makes me look taller. The heels too. If I didn't wear either I'd never be taken seriously in anything I said or did. As it is, if I wear flats, I get mistaken for a child and I hear people's comments before I turn around and they see that I'm a bit older than that."

"Though not much." Endymion groaned as he said it and her eyes were no longer cheerful but flashed at him. "I just meant that you're barely older than a child. You're in your early twenties."

"And you are in your late twenties. Am I to suspect and say that you, too, are not much older than a child? What makes the difference between being an old man and being a child? The difference of four or so years?" He saw that he had really gotten under her skin with that comment. He didn't know what kind of things she'd had to put up with during the years as she tried to assert her self as an adult, being able to make her own decisions. He only saw her now, capable, in charge and deferred to, even feared slightly by those under her if they made a wrong move. The men's conversation at breakfast this morning was all too much proof of that.

"I'm sorry, I meant no harm. I just-"

"It's all right." Serenity sighed before bouncing back into her usual step. "We have to go out into the city or something, get our picture taken together so it adds weight to what we have already started. A picture in Germany is quite a different thing than one in your home town. We've been seen driving around and even at the sight of the accident, but nothing romantic looking. Our followers will want to know what we do in our spare time."

"I don't really do that kind of thing anyway." Endymion tried to protest. "I don't show off my women either. It is a rare picture the press gets of me an any female."

"That's why we're going to try and hide the fact that we're eating out. Someone will find us though." Serenity insisted. "The other women you date are not lime-light hogs. I am. It is unusual for me to hide like this. They think I'm off in some exotic location when they can't find me for a few days, _not _knowing exactly where I am and hiding away. Someone will start to think we're running a Betty Ford here."

Endymion groaned and buried his head into his hands, not pleased with these shenanigans he was now supposed to play a role in. "Can't you just go by yourself?"

"That's not how this works. Come on, you told me that you were going to work with me. I won't bring in other guards if you place nice." That drew him upright, that would be a blessing if he didn't have to deal with more men on the prowl around his home. Seeing his assent she bobbed her head. "Ok then, I'll knock on your door at seven. We'll have reservations for Once There Were Nine."

"That's impossible to get into." Endymion tried to argue, he did on occasion but he usually booked it in advanced. Even his connections and status couldn't always get him in right away. He was after all an Ambassador for England _in other countries_. The people here didn't know who he was unless they were up to date on everything else.

She batted those incredibly long _black_ eyelashes at him, they perfectly framed her eyes, a little heavier on top than underneath and the movement captured him. He wondered if he was close enough if they would disrupt the air when she did that. "Not for me." Then she was out the door and he wondered just what other secrets Serenity could possibly be hiding.

–

At seven she knocked on his door and she surprised him by wearing a baseball cap over her head and he could see nary a blond hair. Her clothes were baggy and shapeless. He never thought he'd see something like that on Serenity. Part of him was drawn to see her shape underneath and discover it with his hands. Most of all though, he was just amused and she threw a knit hat over his own black hair. Blue in color. She tugged it low so it hit his hair and her fingers brushed over his ears. She smiled at him, a slow smile he hadn't seen her give anyone else. He liked this smile.

There was a charge between them where they touched and it was only her fingertips and the skin at his ears. His hands were going up on their own accord but Serenity backed away from him as if scalded. She gave him a periphery once over of his ruby button down and dark gray slacks. He had his dinner jacket over his arm to be put on before they left the house. She gave a short nod and then bent to pick something up, apparently she had put it down before she knocked. She picked up a bulky denim jacket and handed it to him. "Put it over your dinner jacket. Ready to go?"

He was surprised that for once in his life, he was letting a woman, who wasn't his mother, dictate things. He complied without argument and put first one on and then the other. "You know, you stand out. Nobody wears hats like that in this country." He had narrowed down the fact that she wasn't from England. She hadn't even an apartment here. Not to say that if she needed a place to crash that she would find it too difficult. Her company probably had plenty of safe houses around.

She shrugged. "If you hadn't noticed, not all of my men are from England. They wear hats like this all the time. Even in England." She mimicked his tone.

He grinned ruefully at her. "Sorry."

"Forgiven. Now let's go." She lead the way to the back of the house and the two of them walked out to the car but Serenity tossed him a set of keys. "You're driving." She'd given him the keys to one of the guards' car and he noticed his was missing from the garage. He turned to her about to question but she shook her head. "They already left, pretending to be you and me."

"Who pretended to be you?"

There was a smile itching up her face as she thought back on their supposed outing. "Zed. Kai's staying back to keep an eye on the house." She apparently didn't want anyone breaking in while they were gone and undoing all her hard work in keeping it secure.

"Do I even want to know?" Endymion asked imagining the scenario. "You're giggling, so no, probably not."

"Nobody's left to watch us go, but even still, if there is anyone, they'll just think we're one of the other guys." Serenity slid into her seat and Endymion followed. For the first time he realized she wasn't wearing her towering heels, probably didn't go with the idea of being a man and her baggy clothes. There were a few press members at the gate when they passed, probably didn't get the memo and were disappointed not to see either of them in the car. Neither would ever dare wear what they had on currently. Nobody followed them.

Halfway to the restaurant she started pealing clothes off her body. Endymion about had a heart attack until he realized that she was wearing clothes underneath. Another form-fitting ensemble. First the hat, then the jumper went flying into the back seat of the car and then she was wiggling out of her baggy pants.

Underneath was a tight white top and an equally tight banded green skirt. Very plain and simple but looked expensive. The pants went into the back and then she reached around to pull out a few things from behind her seat. Her heels and then a few accessories including a waist belt in brown and a clutch. She fluffed up her hair and then she was ready for a night out.

"So if you're a-" At her wagging of her finger, he ventured off from what he was saying and spoke more in code. "Then where do you hide certain things?"

"It'd look weird if I suddenly gained a few pounds and with some of my outfits it is impossible. I don't carry, I don't believe in it. The others, they're the ones who will do that kind of thing. They're the muscle."

Endymion nodded and cast her an eye. "You know it is a chilly night, don't you have a jacket?"

She giggled and pulled one forward. She still hadn't changed her shoes. "It's just warm in here."

"Leave the heels off for the night." Endymion suggested. "I'll fend off all child comments for you."

Serenity looked down at her feet and then back up at him with an inquiring look. "What do you have against my heels? It can't be a man thing about wanting to be bigger than the girl. I could be walking around in stilts and you'd still tower over me."

"What is it about your heels?" He mocked. "It can't be a woman thing wanting to be equal with a man. You could be wearing stilts and still be pint sized."

She seemed injured at the notion and he sighed but before he could apologize she started laughing. "I am sorry, I guess I didn't realize I sounded so feminist. I don't mean to make it a women vs men thing. You're right, it doesn't make much of a difference."

"You are too, it shouldn't matter so much to me. You are very proficient in them, I just see you walking around in them and I think that you'll suddenly break an ankle or your neck. But you've shown that you don't even notice them almost like they're an extension of your feet. Wear what you want."

She was silent for a long time and when he stopped for the valet, she was wearing the heels again, but more because of the dress code in the restaurant than going against his wishes. The trainers were too beat up to pass muster. When he went around to help her out of the car, he'd shrugged out of his won jean jacket and threw it into the back and helped her into her cropped black jacket. The walk into the restaurant she leaned her head against his arm and looked up at him. He was caught looking down at her, their eyes locked and he was unable to look away. "Thank you for being concerned about me. It feels nice, I haven't had that in a very long time."

Was this just another part of her plan? Now that they were in public, she was going to act and speak the part of a besotted girlfriend? They reached the host and he recognized Serenity on sight. "Come right away Miss Serenity!" He guided them to a table in the back and away from prying eyes.

Endymion knew they were here to be seen out and about in England but he was still surprised that she'd chosen something remote. Then he remembered that they were supposed to be hiding from the press but still visible. Not trying too hard to stay hidden but giving the appearance that they were at least trying.

They walked right passed the bar where others were sitting and waiting for a table to open up. The words scrawled at the top played on then restaurant's name. _Eight Now, But For How Long?_

"I'm thinking of having the Pluto Punch." Serenity commented, breaking the tense silence between them. Endymion glanced through his menu, everything was stellar. Even the décor had a feel of other worldly but without being crass or camp about it. It was a comfortable, romantic atmosphere almost even ethereal.

"I suppose I could go for a heavenly body." His eyes though strayed to Serenity as he said it, thankfully she was looking at her menu, trying to decide on a meal and didn't catch him checking her out (for the hundredth time since he met her).

"I don't- oh, there it is. Yes, that does look good."

The night passed remarkably quickly. Serenity was a charming dinner guest and he was laughing at every joke she cracked. He was enjoying himself in ways he hadn't for a long time and especially not with women. He found himself telling her things that he didn't usually talk about, amusing her with anecdotes about his past and his family. They even spoke more seriously, more intimately and he found himself leaning forward, talking quieter and wanting to hear what she had to say. What surprised him was to see that she had been leaning in as well, getting closer all the time. She spoke lower and their conversation became more contained between the two of them.

"'ver her' Ser'nity!" A voice called out and they both turned their heads, forgetting they were in a busy restaurant for just this purpose. A flash of light went off temporarily blinding them. Endymion's first instinct was to cover her and take her away, but she rested a hand on his arm and smiled brilliantly for another round of photographs.

"Thank you for p'sing for the 'graphs." The man was thanking them and looking through the roll to see if his pictures were any good. "'posing we ge' a kiss?"

Serenity shook her head slowly, a smile on her face. "You're welcome to take photos of us, but if you wouldn't mind, we'd like to finish our meal in peace." They had gained the attention of several other people in the restaurant, though it was typical for many of them as well. The photographer reluctantly let them get on with it and he had a meal of his own and a dinner guest he was neglecting. He was just lucky to be present to capture this moment.

Then someone on the other side wanted something. "Miss Serenity?" She turned her head to get a look at who asked for her and Endymion saw that it was a male, older than he was by at least two decades. "I thought that was you, but I hadn't realized you were back in England!" He leaned forward and kissed Serenity's cheek. "How good it is to see you again."

Serenity nodded, pleased to see him as well. "It's nice to see you as well. This is Endymion Duchaunt."

"Ah yes, I know who he is, you sneaky girl." The man held out his hand. "Thank you for doing our country such a great service ol' boy. I heard you were doing wonders for us in Africa. Smoothing old wounds and everything."

"I tried." Endymion nodded, not sure who this man was but Serenity somehow knew him. "I am not sure how much change I managed to do but it was the right direction we were working towards."

"I'm sure that years from now the only one they'll know who did us any good would be you." The other man insisted. Then looked down at their half finished food. He looked at Serenity with a lifted brow and she gave nothing away. He smiled. "Well I'll let you finish your meal. It really was a pleasure in both meeting you Endymion and seeing you again Serenity." He shook Endymion's hand and gave Serenity's cheek one more peck. "Take care."

Serenity nodded and then went back to her meal. She realized Endymion was frowning at her and she looked at him innocently. He wasn't sure he appreciated that. Her good mood slowly started to slip as well as she realized he was unhappy. "What?"

Endymion knew he wasn't really her boyfriend, but surely even in this pretend game he could insist that it was inappropriate for her to be flirting with a man so much older than her when they were dining together? "Who was that?"

"An old friend." When his frown didn't let up, she huffed. "Honestly Endymion!" She crossed her arms over her chest and she didn't even realize it pushed her considerable assets upwards and made them appear bigger. "I don't know why you're acting the jealous type! He was a friend of the family here in England." A scowl tried to tug at her features but she refused to let him ruin her sunny disposition. "If you are going to be this way, we might as well go home."

Endymion looked down at his food and over at the photographer who was glancing at them occasionally to see if he couldn't snag another good photo. Endymion knew he was overreacting, and he didn't know why he'd done so. He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "No, I'm sorry, I'm just not used to all of this. I never met anyone who knew the girls I was dating at the time, unexpectedly or not. We didn't usually go out to so public a place like this."

"Preferring to eat in, presumably?" If he didn't know better, he would have assumed there was a bit of a spark in her own eyes that told him she didn't want to know about that.

"We went out, but to small, quiet places that we were sure not to be recognized in." Endymion clarified. "Please, we were having a nice time before, let's finish our meal."

Serenity nodded and picked up her fork again and started to eat, which he was glad to see. It took a few moments and a few false starts but they managed to step back into the mood they'd had at the beginning of the meal, laughing and talking a lot again. Serenity placed a card into the check pocket before he could reach for it. She leaned forward and spoke for his ears only. "The company will pay for it."

When they left the restaurant, the valet took their ticket and while they were waiting on the steps for the car, a crowd started gathering. A crowd of journalists and photographers. "Who are you wearing?" Someone shouted out and Serenity stopped and turned to pose on her own for a moment before wrapping her arms around one of his and posing some more.

"Endymion Duchaunt." She teased and the crowd laughed. "Actually my own line. It isn't out yet but I design for me in mind as well as the other body types that surprisingly get ignored."

"Any new perfumes this year?" Another reporter asked.

"Guys, this isn't a press conference!" Serenity laughed. "We'll be having one of those soon enough as well. But contact my secretary for further details. I'm out on a date!"

"How long have you been together?"

"A few weeks to a month." Serenity replied and then the car pulled up.

"Sorry guys, but its time to go." Endymion took the keys from the valet and opened the door for Serenity. She slid in and heard them ask another question before he got in as well.

"Are you getting married?"

Endymion froze at the half opened door as he looked at the reporter in question. Serenity rolled down her window to answer for him. "You guys!" She laughed and batted playfully at them. "Endymion and I have only just started dating. We're trying to get to know one another. Marriage is the furthest thing from our minds at this point. Please don't scare him off before I've had the chance to know if I like him enough for that or to run away myself!"

The crowd laughed and Endymion got in the car and they moved so they could leave. The whole time pictures were being snapped and Endymion could feel his blood slowly returning to the rest of his body. _Marriage_? He couldn't even imagine. Especially not a farce marriage one would be with Serenity, no matter what, that was not something she could force him to do, not even to save his hide. Though the way she spoke, that didn't seem like it would ever cross _her mind _either. Good, that meant they were on the same page.

They were in the car and Serenity turned to him, completely disregarding everything that was just said. "You know, I meant what I said when we got to the restaurant. I am thankful that you care about me. It is nice."

"Another game, Serenity?"

"No game, just genuine." A hesitation and then she spoke again. "Though you don't need to be concerned about me. I can take care of myself. You should be worried about other things."

"Then I will be." Endymion took a deliberate pause. "Like what?"

Serenity started laughing and he even smiled. He liked her laugh, it was infectious.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

–

AN: Let's just say that every factoid in here is true, even when its not. Its a fiction story, even the factoids for the most part. Thank you.

–

Endymion was restless. "I'm going to work." He declared to any who would listen to him and a few eyebrows raised. "At work." He continued. "As in, outside the house. In another building. Anyone here speak English?"

Serenity spoke from the doorway. "All right. We'll join you. Jeb you can stay here. Kai you can have the day off."

"Serenity-?" Kai and Jeb both started to protest. It wasn't very wise to send off both of the bodyguards.

Serenity shook her head. "I've scouted out the building. It has its own security people. It'll be fine with Nic and Zed and Endymion's secretary. I've gone places without you guys."

"It's usually when you 'sneak out', not when you're going to a vetted location."

Serenity sighed. "If it makes you feel any better you can drop us off and then come and pick us up again."

"It does." Jeb agreed and Kai had no choice but to back down.

"What will you do with your day off, Kai?"

He clearly wasn't sure. "I'll probably go see the sights of London. I haven't done that yet."

Serenity grinned, knowing something no one else did. "Someone else is in town for the next twenty-four hours." She sang but she was already heading out the door again as Kai's interest peaked.

"Serenity!" He called for her, but she wasn't answering. "Serenity! Tell me what you know right now!" He followed her out of the room and Endymion had only slight concern for the girl.

"Who is it?" He asked instead to the remaining three men in the room.

A few shrugs but Jeb seemed like he knew. "Someone whose in town."

Zed scowled. "It's not fair, she tells you everything! Just because-"

"Not everything." Jeb cut him off quickly so Endymion wouldn't find out what Zed was about to say and he gave the other man a speaking look. Zed pursed his lips and would say no more and not because he was told not to.

Endymion took his coffee with him into another room while Nic made a call to his secretary. The other man would meet him there. He finished getting dressed, a pair of nice jeans and a jumper and was ready to go to work. Nic wore only slightly nicer pants, in khaki and a pale blue button down. Zed was nicer still, in tight dark jeans that were of a slightly different material and had gold pipping in it and a gold top and boots. Serenity came bouncing out with a surprisingly low-key outfit for her. It wasn't as tight as most of the others and actually covered a fair amount of her skin. Though it was still highly fashionable.

She was wearing straight legged jeans, a v-cut pink sweater which was see-through over a gray tank top. The sweater hung off her shoulder at times. Her hair was in two french brains which ended at the back of her neck and the rest of the hair hung loose from the ties down. She looked... endearing.

"What are you planning to do all day?" Endymion finally asked as he realized she'd be staying in his office the entire time.

"I have a few books, I have work to do and I'll find a way to keep busy." Serenity responded.

That meant she was going to sleep most of the day on his couch in the outer office. He walked by a few times and noticed she was sound asleep. Zed sat at her feet, looking into his phone the whole time, moving things, talking to people Endymion didn't know and sometimes even drawing or texting or twittering. All the twitter uploads were under Serenity's name and made her life sound far more exciting and interesting. Certainly couldn't write that she was asleep or that her feet were slung over the armrest and her head was in Zed's lap. That last one could be blown entirely out of control if mentioned or saw by the wrong person.

Nic kept an eye on things from his desk. Endymion's secretary was in and out all day long delivering coffee and other supplies. Most of the time the papers Endymion needed to sign were done electronically, writing or typing his name onto the line at the bottom after reading over what he needed to. It might be far too easy to duplicate, but so too was his signature on the physical copies.

Nic was gone, probably to take a bathroom break when Endymion heard a commotion outside his office. Since his door was opened slightly, he was privy to see it all. Serenity unfolded herself from the couch and got to her feet as another woman came in. Zed right next to her. "I'd like to see Endymion!"

His secretary looked at the roster. "He's not expecting you."

"Since when do I need an appointment?" The woman had long dark hair and Endymion looked at her and smiled, he wanted to see what would happen now. She took a step towards the inner office but Zed held her up.

"Mr. Duchaunt isn't expecting you, so you cannot go through."

"You have no business telling me what to do." Then the woman sighed, seeing how she wasn't going to get through without at least a little explanation. "It's a private matter."

"Still, to go in there we need to see all of your paperwork." Zed explained.

"Why? I never have before!" She was taking out her ID as she spoke. "Here."

Serenity smiled soothingly. "I'm sorry, its just a precaution for me. Nobody can get close enough to me without first being vetted."

"I don't want to go close to you, I want to see Endymion."

"To get to Mr. Duchaunt, you'd have to go pass me. Just the way it goes."

The woman scowled. "And who are you?"

"Another one?" Zed asked amazed. "Really, I must not be doing as good of a job as I thought." He handed back the license and said something into the phone he was just taking out. He nodded to Serenity when the woman cleared.

"He needs to pat you down." Serenity added. "Just a precaution."

"I don't even know who you are, why would I want to kill you?" The woman grouched.

"Perhaps you don't, perhaps I might be a random victim in an insane desire to kill whoever you can. I can never be too safe." Endymion wondered where her overly bright attitude went, she was still calm and smiling and trying to take the edge off the situation , but she wasn't being obnoxious about it like she often was with him. She was in complete control of the situation.

"All right. Can you ask Endymion if he'd like to see her?" Serenity directed towards his secretary. Endymion stood up, this had gone on long enough.

He strolled out of his office and opened the door wider. "Come on in, Raye."

Raye stomped in and he shut the door behind her. Though when she turned to him to yell, he was sure that everyone in the outer office could hear her. "What's the big idea? Who was that woman and why am I being treated like a second class citizen?"

"One thing at a time." Endymion responded drolly, going back to sit behind his desk. Raye paid him no heed as she continued to rant.

Endymion sat back and tuned her out. When she finally wined down she took a deep breath and started over. "Hello Endymion!" She came over and gave him a big hug. They had a somewhat shortened conversation from what they would normally have, mostly because she had spent most of that time pissed off.

Just before she was to leave though, she turned to look at him curiously. "So really, who was that woman out there?" She was probably wondering if Serenity would still be out there now.

"That is Serenity. I- don't really know her last name. She's-"

"I know who Serenity is!" Raye was amazed. "I've heard her name often enough, I just didn't recognize her in person. She's got a wonderful eye. What's she doing here?"

"If you can believe it or not, she's my girlfriend." Endymion sighed dramatically and Raye hit him in the arm.

"Goof, way to bury the lead." Raye was tempted to go out there and give Serenity a big hug but instead she turned to Endymion and gave him one.

"Can't-breathe-" He teased when her strong arms came around him and she squeezed.

"Don't screw this up!" She warned.

"Eh, Raye..." Endymion felt bad for lying to her, but knew if Raye knew the truth it wouldn't stay hidden for too long if she was upset enough by it. "I'm not sure how long it will last. It's been great fun for now, but soon we'll have to venture off in our own directions." As he said it, he realized how true that was. Would have been if this whole thing hadn't been a farce too.

Raye frowned at him. "Seriously? You are already looking for a way out? Its not like you Endymion. Is there something wrong with her? She seemed a bit stand-off-ish, but she is- well, nevermind that might be wrong. You might be the one who is stand-off-ish, you are after all British and well, you."

"Just stay out of it, and don't get your heart broken when we're no longer together." Endymion grumbled at Raye's analysis. She'd overstayed her welcome.

Raye let the air out in a depressed fashion. "Fine. I'll go." Raye opened the door but Serenity wasn't in sight, but Zed and Nic and Tony were. "Shame. Well, I'm off. See you for the get-together in a few weeks!"

Endymion cringed at the reminder, luckily Raye didn't see it, already going out and down the hallway. He wasn't interested in attending and might not be able to. He turned around and went back into his inner office and almost jumped out of his skin to see Serenity sitting on his black leather couch. A little more comfortable than the one in the waiting area. She was looking at her nails and ignoring Endymion all together. He went back to his desk, unsure what was going to happen now.

He picked up a stack of papers and had just flipped over the first page when she spoke. "Duchaunt."

"Yes?" He inquired politely, attempting to focus on his work.

"Du-chaunt." She said again.

Endymion put the papers down regretfully and looked across at Serenity. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing. It's just an interesting name. I didn't give it much notice before. It's French."

"So it is."

"But your first name isn't. It's actually Greek."

"That is true as well." Endymion looked pointedly at his papers, but she ignored him.

"I thought you were British. It is an interesting combination your parents chose. Endymion isn't a very common first name. Very god-like. Or rather a God's plaything. Always the victim of others motives."

Endymion's eyes lifted to her, wondering where she was going with this. "If I recall correctly, Endymion was so handsome the goddess had fallen for him and gave up her birthright to be with him."

"That's one version. In another she fell for him and he fell asleep for hundreds of years and she bore all sorts of children." How, she left out, but they were both thinking it.

"Either way, she was a slave to her hormones and he was powerful for his looks. In the end, he was more of the god than she was."

Serenity shrugged unperturbed. "From my angle, she had all the power. She took what she wanted from him. He just happened to be the one she chose because of a pretty face. Sounds like a role reversal to me."

"Hmm..." Endymion sat back and observed her, thinking that wasn't the only time there was a role reversal. "I don't remember her name. Do you?"

"I'm sure Nic would know. He's interested in those kinds of things. He tells me all about the stars and what their names are and how far away they are from Earth."

They could call Nic in, but he had a feeling that it wasn't the reason Serenity was in here sitting with him. "What is it you really want to know?"

"Just what I mentioned earlier. I don't really call you by your last name too often and it hit me that it is very French for being in England."

"My father was French." Endymion finally acknowledged. "Though you would have known that in one of your background diggings."

"I don't dig for personal history, just security- which you had practically none- and whether or not your name has been linked with any crimes. Since you were clean on that account, I agreed to your case."

"Why not?" Endymion was surprised and he sat forward.

"I'd prefer to get to know my clients in person and learn the details they wish to share. I don't want to dig into personal life, its called that for a reason. It makes them feel exposed. I don't want to make them uncomfortable in that way."

"No you just move in and dictate all their actions." He was a bit harsher than he meant to be.

"That's temporary and its only for their protection! It would be completely different if I were to know before I even met you all your dark and dirty secrets and then take them with me!" She was instantly defensive and he liked her better when she was just musing, because then she was interested in him, even if it was only surface information. She'd jumped to her feet offended and was about to storm into the other room. Since there was only one window and it was secured by bullet proof and strong enough to resist most bombs, nobody needed to be in the inner office with him.

"Serenity, please sit down." He held up both of his hands. "I'm sorry. It is just your job and its commendable that you don't abuse your power."

She reluctantly sat and propped her spiky looking heels on his leather sofa. Though she was careful not to put them against it. "So why the multilingual name? There are plenty of purely British sounding ones. Darien for example."

Endymion chuckled. "You really don't dig that deep do you? That's my middle name."

"Oh." Serenity actually blushed a little. "I can see why you don't use it, someone could call that name out in a restaurant and half the heads would turn."

"My mother wanted to make sure I kept to all my roots. She was half British and half Greek. Raye, who you saw earlier, that was my cousin. I have very few of those. Raye was the closest in age and we've kept in better contact through the years than the others. She shows up every month uninvited so if she does again, you can just let her through." Endymion was allowed to return to his papers when she didn't have any follow up questions, instead she laid her head down on the arm rest and looked up at the ceiling.

When he glanced up towards her, he saw her eyes dart away from him and back towards a spot she must have thought interesting. Though he could only see plain white paint. "Since we're on nationalities..." He ventured. "What is yours?"

"What do you mean?" Serenity must have thought it obvious.

"You speak and act like a yankee but your vowels are British sounding. Though they're not quite right."

"I'll have to go hash it out with my voice coach then." She stretched as she said it, unconcerned. "I don't try to hide my Americanisms though the British do have quite interesting turns of phrases that I can't help but pick up sometimes. I however do try to insert a bit of my client's accent when I speak, not an imitation but enough to keep them at ease when I speak to them. It gives a bit of home feeling as well as mysticism and exotic mix. So they're comfortable yet intrigued. Curious and familiar."

Endymion nodded, there certainly was all of that. He had felt that way himself, and had detected the slight notes of imperfection, also intended. "What do you sound like regularly then?"

"I really don't know anymore. I've been putting on different accents since I was a child, playing all sorts of different roles, speaking in different languages to expand my reach. I don't think anyone really knows what my voice sounded like if I weren't to have adapted it to the situation. I could give you a purely American Midwestern accent, Southern, West Coast, LA, Seattle, any of those in the East Coast. All of them would be perfectly acceptable and passable if I were to be there. I could sound like any type of foreigner, stereotypical and unique. Slightly accented or heavily." As she spoke her accent changed with first the regions of the United States, choosing one which to draw from of her examples, and then again with the foreign. Her Tanzanian accents were perfect. He'd worked with all sorts there, from ones who spoke English fluently to those who didn't speak more than a handful of words they'd picked up from tourists or a rare TV.

He regarded her now with a new appreciation and sorrow. It must be hard, underneath that bright bravado to not know who she really is. Having to adapt to each situation almost as if she were a new person. "But you are recorded all the time, you have this role that you play in front of the camera. Don't they start suspecting when you sound different from take to take?"

"I'm an actress, or at least I had been at one time. It's part of the creed. We have to slap on different accents all the time. They do want me to speak with my original during interviews and so I paste on an LA one. Its only the times people don't recognize me that I use the other ones or on the phone. Its amazing what people will tell you if they think you're from the home country."

Endymion had to look away, or otherwise he'd go and take her up into his arms and kiss her senseless. She was always impressing him more and more not only with her job qualifications but also with the depth of her emotions, of her frankness in sharing her past. He was surprised she would share that further information but then again he was an ambassador and would need to know not to give her away if he saw her at another political party.

"So you're an American?"

"Born and breed. A true blood. Can't get more home fried than me."

"What does that mean?" Endymion questioned, putting aside his papers, he really wasn't going to get this done today, at least not while she was in here and he didn't want to ask her to leave either. It could keep. He was more interested in what she was sharing.

"My family is all sorts of immigrants yet way back when they married into a Native American family as well. I'm as mixed as I can be and yet still have this coloring." She gestured towards her features and he was trapped by her blue eyes for a long moment.

"So who do you work for? An American company? British?"

"That, I'm not going to share." She wagged a finger at him, and she wouldn't either. She might be frank, but she also knew how to keep a secret. Endymion thought this would be the end of their conversation, that she'd go to the other room again, but she didn't. "Why did you change locations?"

"What do you mean?"

"You had a lucrative career in Africa and the Middle East. Why suddenly switch to your backyard? Was it because of the threats?"

Endymion held her gaze for a long time, thinking about how to word this and whether or not he wanted to tell her. Finally he shook his head. "The threats didn't start coming until after I already decided on a switch and made it official. I switched because I was tired of it. I told everyone else that I was ready for a change and wanted to get to know the European sector, but frankly I was just tired. It was easy after awhile to adapt to Africa and the Middle East, but it still wears on you. It was never my choice location but it was the only one available at the time. It will help that I know it, in dealing with relations between the two sectors but I wanted to settle down a bit more. Be home more, meet people that were going to be there continuously. It sounds cowardly, but I wanted an easier life."

She formed her words carefully but honestly, he could see that. "It doesn't sound cowardly. I can understand that. It was a turbulent region and while Europe isn't paradise, it doesn't have quite the turn over in staff and politicians. I don't think you got to meet very many people outside of your small social network. Unless it was the people you were trying to help or those politicians."

Serenity understood and he was grateful to have her listen to him and not judge. "Exactly. I couldn't start a relationship with any of them and truthfully, if I do have kids in the future, I don't want them to have the life I had growing up. I think it is important for them to be educated and exposed to different lifestyles but no child should be carted from one country to the next at the drop of a hat. It was a very lonely existence. Can't make friends and then off to someplace else when you think you might."

She seemed to be reflecting on his words because she spoke slowly. "I had a similar lifestyle, but I enjoyed it. I thought it was wonderful to be meeting people from all over the world. I still have many of those friendships today. However I think it is all about how people form them and what they're looking for in a friend. Especially in how deep they want that relationship to be. Mine I was able to keep in contact with through all the social medias but face to face contact, it was very slim. It depends on the person and the child. If I hadn't had those ways of keeping in touch, I image my childhood would have been very lonely indeed, even with being in the limelight all the time."

Endymion hadn't thought of it that way. He had always been slower to form bonds with others, wanting to see and know them for awhile so he could judge and get a good read on them. Then he made the overtures. Serenity seemed like the opposite, that she'd just throw herself into a relationship, or even a meeting. Hence how they met and even though he'd asked for her number, he had been sitting on it until he got to know her more. Though he had never been so bold with anyone before. He didn't want to get burned by trusting too soon and it had been a mixed result with Serenity. She was with him now, but it hadn't been genuine. Though these questions had been and her interest in his life definitely was. There was something to be said about how she went about her life.

But there was also something to be said about his too. He made lasting friendships that were deep and meant something. If something were wrong, his friends would drop everything and move hell and high water to get to him and help him out. Were he to ask, and that was the problem, he preferred to be alone and do it on his own, but everybody needed someone.

Serenity however was never alone. Maybe that's why she threw herself into friendships and perhaps more, because she was afraid to be on her own, even if not being alone meant she had an ear-bud to keep her company.

Endymion wanted to ask her about it, but chose not to. That was venturing on the too personal, and though he was sure she'd try to answer him, she might not have thought about it before. He had a feeling that whatever her answer was, he'd try to make things better for her. He wasn't sure either really wanted that. So he looked back down at his papers and after a few minutes, he felt her get up and slip out the door, so she could be with the others.

For the first time in his adult life, being on his own, felt incredibly lonely. He wanted to call her back in, even if she were quiet and he was absorbed in his work, he wanted her with him. He stilled what he was doing as that thought hit him. With it came another, he wouldn't mind if she was always with him. He didn't want to be on his own ever again.

Endymion looked towards the door, his stomach tightening at the ramifications. He had known her for such a short time and he barely knew anything about her. But what he did know, made him want to know more. What he knew about Serenity he adored. She was everything he wasn't, but at the same time she still held all the values he looked for in the people he chose to have in his life. He couldn't know that for sure, but he felt it deep down that it was true.

He reached for the inter-communications system and asked Nic to make arrangements so they could go back to his home. "Sure man, it'll be about a half hour before we go."

"Thanks." Nic was very casual in his form of address, but Endymion couldn't find it in him to protest, not when he was having difficulty concentrating on any one thing. He shifted his papers and something fell out. He looked down onto the letter he hadn't seen before, and realized it was another threat.

This one like the others were demanding that he stepped down from his role as an Ambassador. That's all it said. There was sometimes vague threats against his life, but nothing concrete. There was no other reason except wanting him out of that position and he couldn't even be sure if it was some new aggrievance he'd done, something they'd just had the means to retaliate with or if someone just wanted him to no longer dally in political affairs as he was. Because they were in no way specific, he didn't take them seriously.

He'd mentioned it off hand to Andrew and his friend had taken them seriously. So seriously in fact that he'd called in Serenity and other bodyguards. Endymion was not amused. He really didn't think these were worth any of the hype that his friend had wigged out on. Endymion was sure that Serenity would probably not laugh it off like he did. Since there was no real reason behind this one and no serious threat, he just tucked it into his desk and tried to forget about it. He didn't want to reaffirm any reason for them to be here. He'd had worse when he was the Ambassador for Africa and the Middle East.

Someone knocked on his door and he called out for them to come in. Serenity popped her head back in, no longer serious, again, as indicated by her huge grin and playful nature. "The ride's here."

He hid it not a moment too soon. "Right, thanks. I'll be right out." He stood up and went to gather all of his things. A few papers would have to come back with him. She waited for him, rather than went to join the others. It took no time and Serenity slid her arm around his waist as they walked through the hallway and out the front doors and onto the street.

They walked the short distance to the car and once they slid in and everyone's doors were closed, she let him go and leaned forward to talk to Jeb. He teased her back for everything she said. Nic was in the front seat with Jeb and Zed was in the back with them. He was trying to reel Serenity back in and talk about whatever it is he needed her to do.

Serenity waved him off. "Later."

"Did you get any work done today?" Endymion asked, having enough of this flirting between the two blonds.

Serenity whipped around and looked at him curiously. "Of course! Why do you ask?"

"It seemed like you were sleeping the entire time."

"Nah-uh. I was thinking. Zed was taking down all of my ideas, wasn't that right, Zed?"

"Like I'm going to believe him?" Endymion asked flabbergasted that she'd even suggest it. Zed worked for her, and anything she said would go, no matter what the truth may be.

"It's not like I was saying Zed was doing a strip-tease on your desk when you weren't looking." Serenity grouched. "I did plenty of work while you were holed up in your office."

"She even did a few drawings for future ideas. Want to see?" Zed whipped out an electronic device and scrolled through to find the images Serenity sketched this day. "Here."

Zed handed Endymion the device and it was a short while later that Endymion handed it back, almost speechless. "Wow." He breathed. "Those were amazing. You did that all while I was at work today?" Serenity nodded without saying anything. "You have quite a talent for the arts."

"Hence my job." Serenity reminded him kindly. "I have to uphold my keep somehow. A lot of the harder parts, production, planning and everything else like that to keep it running is handled by the rest of my staff. Legitimate staff, who would be doing all of this anyway."

Endymion shook his head in amazement. "You are quite something. Leading not only a double life, but two lives that are so complicated." He held out his hand and Serenity looked at it for a long time. "It's a hand up, we're going to leave." He reminded her. "It's not like its going to bite you." With a roll of her eyes, she put her hand in his and he hoisted her easily to her feet. "See you tomorrow Charlie!" Endymion called over his shoulder to the man not within hearing distance of the rest of their conversation. Zed and Nic followed them out to the curb where Jeb was just pulling up. He hopped out before they reached the door to the steps and opened the door for them, looking around to make sure nobody suspicious was around. Serenity and Endymion got in first followed by the other two. Jeb closed the door and then swung back around to his seat and drove back to the mansion.

"I have to go to work tomorrow." Serenity explained to Endymion on the way back. "So I'll meet you at the office. Nic will be with you, so you don't need to worry about being exposed and he'll still be able to protect you without appearing suspicious that a bodyguard is with you, as that's not his role."

"Explain to me again why I need _secret_ bodyguards? Why couldn't you just say you lent me one of your guards and that'd be the end of it?"

"Well as a bit of a surprise in some ways. We want them to think that it is still possible to get close to you without giving it away that they can't. They'll think that when I am not around there will be no bodyguards to avoid or get passed. We'll lure them into a trap that way." She didn't add hopefully, so perhaps that had worked before. "When they make their move, we'll snag them. It's easiest this way. Also, if they knew you hired bodyguards then they'll think their threat is getting to you and will be able to manipulate you some more. Perhaps even get you to give in to them. By appearing unaffected by their threats they'll get more out of hand and hopefully will make a mistake."

Endymion had to hand it to her, that made sense and he told her so.

She shrugged. "It's what I do." Then she grinned. "It's my job."

He laughed at her repeat of her earlier words but about something completely different.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

AN: I just thought I'd make this clear for any who wouldn't believe Serenity as a bodyguard. It's kind of a throw back to the way SM is supposed to be. She's the smallest in height and stature, delicate looking and young. Also the girl all the men pant after and a sweet and bubbly personality. She's what nobody would suspect as a heroine and yet she's the most powerful and the leader of the senshi. Now... I can't have her doing magic in this "real life" story, so there are other attributes I can give her. In classic SM and in this story, it is the woman who has the power, yet still has a man in her life who supports and loves her. Nobody's an island. Not even all powerful Serenity. I hope I have made this clear without my AN. :)

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Endymion was in the office, when Serenity, as promised, came trouncing in. Finally he saw her in a swing skirt, one that moved with her when she walked and gave tiny glimpses of flesh that wouldn't have been seen if it had been a straight one. Even if that flesh was something she'd still be showing off in the shorter skirts he'd seen her wear. This one was longer but still rather short. It was a pleated navy-blue. Her top, when his eyes skimmed up it was eyebrow lifting as it was white with a navy collar and a red necktie. She was carrying a black squared briefcase under one arm and he followed it up to her neck and then her face, nothing unusual there. Then he looked above her and then back to her face, but his eyes shot back to her hair. "Odango Atama." He whispered in amazement. Having learned the language when it was believed that Japan would be the next big contender.

She responded back in Japanese. "Bakaru." Then she smirked. "It was for a shoot. I kind of like it. If it gets such responses out of you, then I'll wear it more often." Hell, if she knew what kind of reaction he _wanted _to give her, she'd high-tail it out of there and never wear it again. There were balls on either side of her head made out of her hair and then streamers of blond were coming down behind each. It was incredible.

"You look... like all those naughty Japanese ads."

"They're only naughty in the England and the US because they're not used to seeing such high hemlines and they're prudish. It'd be ok for me to wear practically nothing if I was in a concert or absolutely not a stitch on while acting, but walking down the street is a different story. But I'm completely covered up and there's nothing risque about it."

"Except everything." Endymion sat back and gawked, he couldn't help it, she looked adorable as well as incredibly sexy, more than any woman had a right to be. "What were you doing?"

"I told you, a shoot."

"For your clothing line?"

"No." Serenity smiled broadly. "For an East meets West type of thing."

Endymion nodded slowly, unable to take his eyes away from her. He didn't want to put his foot in it again, but couldn't help himself from adding one more thing. "I like the hair, actually. I think you should do that more often."

"Just so you can make fun of me?"

"No, I think you look precious that way."

Serenity didn't know what to say for a long time and then she smiled. "Thanks. Will do." She sank down into the couch opposite him. Zed and the other two 'secretaries' were outside in the outer office. "I think I'll work in here today, if you don't mind." Endymion shook his head, he couldn't kick her out, not when those incredibly long legs were being showcased for him and he couldn't find his voice. Absolutely, positively, bloody amazing. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing. They weren't just skinny, instead they were thin but muscular, as if she were secretly a dancer. He couldn't help but imagine the strength in them. Must have been from wearing such ridiculous high heels.

He forced his eyes away from her, even though she was still looking at him and instead _tried _to concentrate on his latest briefing.

"We'll be going on a tour again soon." Endymion mentioned looking over the latest specs. He had to go and live in a few of these countries for a spell. At least they wouldn't be permanent residences like he had in Africa. Though he couldn't complain with living in Morroco, Egypt or South Africa. He hadn't been a major fan of some of the other places he'd lived then, but it was an adventure for awhile at least. He enjoyed that and the people.

Serenity nodded, she had been expecting as much. She looked at her fingers bored before she pulled out her phone and started working on it. It had all of her documents that she needed to look through for her business as well as other things. She allowed him to work in relative peace but his eyes kept straying to that amazing length of flesh. She was wearing closed toe pumps and while there was a heel, it didn't seem quite as daunting as previous ones.

Around lunch time, he pressed back into his seat and looked around the room. He had spent the most care and effort into this office. It was the one on his home turf and the one he kept no matter where in the world he might be. Each office he had elsewhere was always clean lined and efficient and dignified, but nothing was like this one. The wood was heavy in the room, but so was the warmth that came from it and the comfort. Unlike what most people would believe, the walls were not blue nor white, but a warm red-brown. His home office was more overtly masculine and powerful but this one was meant to be welcoming and strong. Serenity had clearly found herself to liking it, for she hadn't made any effort to leave, even with coffee coming in at ten and that being two and a half hours ago.

Now though when he'd finished for the early half of the day, and deciding that he didn't want lunch brought in so he could work continuously, she too put aside her smart phone. "Time for lunch. Since you're my girlfriend, shall you join me?"

Serenity's slow smile was something he'd only seen on occasion and they were always directed towards him. She had a hundred other smiles she plastered on through the day with different people, but not one person got this one or even one just for them, every other smile she gave to anyone depending on her mood or what their actions dictated as a response. This time though there was something else edging on the corners of it, something he hadn't seen before or how to describe. "I'm glad you're finally giving in. Sure you've said so in the past, but now you're actually behaving like it and no longer snipping at me like a fishwife."

Endymion saw himself dressed like the woman she mentioned and he burst out laughing. "Touche." He pushed himself away from the desk and came along towards her, their hands reaching out towards one another like they'd planned it. He helped her up into a standing position and with how close they were, he could just pull her that little bit more and his jaw would fit snugly between those two balls on her head, just grazing the underside of his chin with her hair. He could imagine himself doing just that, holding her close and leaning his head in one direction and resting his cheek on one of the odangos.

Instead a knock on the door dispelled all of his fantasies and perhaps intended actions were he to put them into motion and not keep such a tight reign on his self-control. A blond head poked in and Jeb grinned at Serenity kind of sillily. "I was wondering if you intended to eat or if we should have food delivered up to us."

"We were just talking about going out." Serenity responded, turning away from Endymion and in doing so, put more space between them.

He could see why Jeb did it, it would be odd if he just ordered without checking with them. Nobody else would notice except Charlie, who knew what foods Endymion preferred and which ones he bypassed. Her guards weren't suppose to know that yet.

"All right then, well we'll have to order when we get back."

"Or sit a few tables away." Endymion inserted smoothy and wrapped an arm around Serenity's waist, surprising her into looking up at him. "We do have to go by Charlie, don't we?" She nodded, for once without any words. They walked out like that and Endymion turned to look at his secretary. "Nic will let you know if there's anything further. I think you can have the rest of the day off." Charlie was paid salary anyway, it didn't matter if he left early, came late or not at all as long as Endymion gave him the go ahead.

"Thanks boss. Serenity, thank you for coming into his life. You've really turned him around since coming. He used to be such a slave driver. It's nice to see him taking a few breaks and relaxing more."

Serenity smiled charmingly at him. "Oh its no problem at all. I like it."

"Thanks again you two. I'll see the rest of you around." Charlie nodded to the rest and they all filed out, leaving Charlie behind to clean up before he left.

On the walk to the restaurant, whatever restaurant that caught their fancy, Endymion mused that he wasn't surprised at all that Serenity preferred this to hailing a cab or driving down. No, he was only faintly taken off guard because he thought she'd insist that he ride in a car for his safety. He was happily pleased that she decided that it wouldn't be a risk if they didn't. He was enjoying the relatively fresh air of London and the exertion, even if it was low-level like this.

She even wrapped herself around his body, an arm going about his hips as they walked and it was enjoyable with not only the contact but the chatter they maintained. Zed and Nic were behind them while Kai was in front and Jeb behind the other two. They were keeping up appearances and look out.

A little girl across the street screamed and that brought everyone up short and into high defense. Then she screamed again and Endymion had no idea what the source of the attack could be. "Mummy, mummy! Look it's _Serenity_!" The little girl was tugging on the older woman's hand and pointing at them. Then she broke free of the clasp and was running towards them, heedless of light or traffic.

Serenity acted faster than the rest of them, running out into the street herself, despite the curses and yells for her to not be stupid following in her wake. Jeb was two steps behind her, leaving the rest with Endymion. She caught up the girl inches from being hit by a car who hadn't seen the child, but had seen the celebrity. Distracted by her and forgot to hit the breaks until he was almost upon her. Serenity snagged the little girl and maneuvered her to a relative safety, but not out of the woods yet, she was closer to the mother than her duty and she booked it across the still moving traffic, but slowing due to unaccountable action.

Jeb caught up with her just as she was giving the girl back to her mother. Endymion's heart was in his throat, she had been very brave, and very reckless in doing so. _She _could have been hit but he couldn't fault her for protecting. Endymion couldn't hear what was said, but the gestures spoke loud enough for him. The woman was berating her child while thanking Serenity profusely. Her hand looking painfully tight on the child's shoulder.

Serenity was waving her off and then kneeling down in front of the girl. Jeb's posture was stiff and he straightened further when the little girl threw herself at Serenity. Endymion figured it was because Jeb didn't want to deal with the thought of raising a child of his own while Serenity seemed perfectly suited. Theirs wasn't a relationship that could last long.

Serenity's arms went around the little girl and Endymion's gut clenched in a desire for... well he wasn't sure what he wanted, but they made an adorable scene. Then the girl was sitting back and touching Serenity's odangos and then touching her own hair.

Nic started laughing as Jeb was switching his weight from foot to foot. "We'd better go save Jeb before he blows a gasket."

"Jeb?" Endymion lifted an eyebrow, that seemed off from what he'd seen of his guard's personality.

"Where Serenity is concerned, he loses a bit of his jolly nature." Kai explained a frown across his features as he took in Serenity and Jeb across the road and whether or not it was safe for them to cross. But before the light even turned, Serenity had shown the girl and her mother how to put her hair up in the buns and then she and Jeb were coming back across.

Serenity knocked her shoulder against Jeb's arm when he still wasn't smiling. "I'm fine, aren't I?"

"That's not the point." He grumbled, but when Serenity made a face at him, a twitch quirked up half his face. "All right, but don't do that again."

When Endymion felt Serenity latch onto his arm, he couldn't help but disagree with Jeb. It was part of her, to protect, she wouldn't be content to just sit back and do nothing. Though it still worried him that she'd throw herself unconcernedly into traffic.

"Come on, there's a good restaurant down the street here." She directed them in the opposite direction and soon they found a cute cafe. Serenity and Endymion had relative privacy, they got to sit alone at the table and appear that way. Though Jeb and Kai took tables on opposite sides and Nic and Zed sat together behind Endymion. Those two at least appeared to be working, they had out their briefcases, and tablets out between them, organizing, rearranging, fine-tuning and editing. Their cellphones were also out and they were making calls.

Endymion's lips quirked at their play-acting. "So, my dear." He reached across and put a hand over hers, a throwback to how they got into this mess. "How did the photo-shoot go?"

Serenity smiled sheepishly. "Good, I'm supposed to be in tomorrow to shoot the West end of the East meets West but a Japanese girl or Korea, they haven't cast her yet, is going to be wearing traditional British street clothing. She was supposed to be here today to do the East looks too, but the photographer is being picky. He says because I'm so small it needs to be either someone my height or a lot taller, but he doesn't want to go with a traditional model."

"Hmm." Endymion leaned back in his seat, his hand slipping away from hers. "That is a tricky one. Especially as she'll probably have to be a weight lifter to be a polar opposite and finding that in an Asian female would be difficult."

"Now you see why they've decided to pull me back for tomorrow as well. Though..." She cast an eye over him and then over at the bodyguards. "I wonder if they'd just be better off with a male model and putting a wig on him." He thought she was serious until a grin cracked out almost instantly and he breathed in relief. He wasn't about to be pulled into a photo-shoot wearing a short skirt and he doubted if any of the other men with them would have approved either.

"I think I might work from home tomorrow." Endymion replied lightly. "Andrew says he's going to swing by the house and I wouldn't mind having a beer with him."

Serenity nodded with a huge smile on her face. "That'll be nice, I liked Andrew a lot. I hope to see him tomorrow as well."

"Hope you can get back in time then if the schedule doesn't coincide." Endymion agreed. "I'm sure he'd like to see you too. He sung nothing but your praises last time I talked to him."

"When we last spoke it was only over the phone. I'll see if I can't rearrange my schedule to make it work." She leaned across the table so she wouldn't have to yell so much. "Zed-"

"Got it already, Ser." Zed responded, moving things with the pad of his finger across the screen of his tablet. Shrinking and enlarging items as he needed them, writing words without typing.

Serenity sat back with a satisfied smile. "This will be nice." She repeated and then their drinks and food were being served and after Kai checked them both out allowed them to sip them.

Endymion laughed. "I feel like a medieval prince, having my food tested before I am allowed to eat it."

Serenity batted her long eyelashes at him. "Only because you're in my company. Who knows, I might try to eat something off your plate or drink out of your glass._ Then_ who would be in trouble?"

"Do your parents know what a little drama queen they've raised?"

Her eyes shuttered down and he was surprised to see it happen, she looked like such an open book about everything else he'd brought up so far. Not once did she refuse to talk about something or let him in. Jeb leaned over and squeezed her arm reassuringly and she smiled at him. "Yes." She finally responded and then dug into her food.

He'd have to ask her later just who her parents were. Perhaps he could find out on the internet, she was after all a mega celebrity. He'd prefer to hear it from her though. The rest of their meal was in silence, or at least on their end. There were conversations buzzing around them and he tried to ignore all the whispers about them and concentrated instead on how good the food actually was.

Nic sighed dramatically. "Rocks are more interesting than you guys."

Serenity instantly bounced back into her usual personality at that comment and Endymion remembered to mark that down in his mental files, bring up another topic of conversation and Serenity would be back to normal. "Really?" She remarked with a lifted brow. "And do rocks entertain you often Nici? Just what about them do you find fascinating?"

"Well for one, they don't change unless its highly pressurized or tumbling about in a machine or polished up. But then its only the appearance rather then the content."

"And a blank content is interesting?" She teased. "I do feel sorry for you, all the girls you bring home... they're as smart as rocks if you find them so great!"

"Ouch." Nic covered his heart with his hand and staggered back in his seat. "I suppose though, I deserved that one."

"Man you guys play rough." Endymion mused. "Glad I'm never in line for those kind of verbal abuse."

"In another world and another time." Serenity sighed dramatically.

He could actually buy that. She would definitely not hold back on being so sharp tongue with him if she wasn't being paid to protect him. And that probably included her deadly wit! Not to mention that dangerous body... he knew if she were to give in to the attraction that she held for him, he'd be addicted. The problem was, she wasn't going to give in to it, he doubted she even recognized its existence if it existed at all for her. But he was so sure- probably best to put that reasoning aside. They were professionals after all.

Zed spoke again, cutting off whatever remark would have been acceptable in this case, not sure there was one. "Andrew's assistant called me back and said that he was planning on stopping by between two and four. Your appointment for the shoot is in the morning so it should be all right." The two to four actually meant closer to one or seven. Endymion was used to the random schedule, if they couldn't get by in avoiding _where_ Andrew was going to be, then they would always try to avoid providing the time until the last possible moment. They didn't take any risks with the security of the PM. In the public's view, his job was more important than an Ambassador and so he was at a higher threat level and was expected to respond in that way.

Endymion was always thankful that he hadn't gone that route in politics, Andrew seemed to thrive on campaigning every four years and proving his worth, or not having to and letting the records show for him. He'd campaigned for his mother and had been elected into office since primary all the way up to the top. The thought of seeing his old friend gave him something to smile about. He found he was looking forward to it.

–

They returned to the office for a short time and Endymion figured out what paper work was good to sit for the next few days and which he needed to respond to. Serenity sat at the edge of his desk as he finished shuffling the work around. She was too close for him to concentrate well, he had to watch where he was putting his hands. If he reached too far, he'd brush his fingers along her exposed thigh. As it was, he made sure to stay far away from that region, no matter how much his hands automatically found themselves centimeters from them. She seemed impervious to his struggle or why.

"Why do you still bother with paper work? This day and age you could have a perfectly cleared desk and better organization too. All the while using up less space."

"Technology tends to get hacked more." He pointed out as the first reason. "It can accidentally get lost or deleted. It's not as efficient for me when I'm trying to draw out conclusions or connections. There are apps for that, but its not as fine-tuned as by hand. It predicts or moves or is too large for what you want and sometimes just misses it all together. I'm content with using the computer and other technology for other things, but for the work that I'm doing now, it's better if I do it by hand."

She nodded. "That makes sense. I sometimes do too when I need to see the complete picture. I use large poster boards. There's just not an equivalent for something as large as I am or the laser print out. It just seems faked and flat. I'd also much rather use textures that the patters are more than a facade. Then again, the image on my phone is quite crisp, I wouldn't get that if I drew it by hand. It's a give and take." She was always talking nonstop once she got started. He was surprised that it didn't irritate him. "Are you almost done?"

"Are you in such a hurry to get back to my house and have to be confined to the grounds?"

"That's not true." Serenity shook her head. "I'm able to slip in and out at will. You're the one who has to be regulated to the enclosed space."

"The press would surely see you?" He was sure they were more interested in Serenity than himself.

She lifted one shoulder and let it drop. "They don't and if they did, they wouldn't know it was me. Other times though, I'm with my- a guard and going into town or for a business meeting of my own, though Zed usually takes care of a lot of that without me meeting them face to face."

"That's fantastic." Endymion said flatly. So while she was gallivanting all around town and having her freedom, he was stuck at the house. He hadn't noticed that she was off the property before, always thinking that she was outside. She was whenever he looked for her.

She seemed to pick up on his mood. "It's not like I'm out the whole time. I'm usually gone for my work and sometimes for provisions. People like to think they recognize me, but when I'm not dolled up and in outrageous outfits, they seem to overlook me."

"How can anyone overlook you?" The words were out before he could stop them and she seemed surprised that he said them. It took her a long time to answer him.

When she finally did, she said it slowly. "Easily. They have a tendency not to look down from their own eye level."

It took him a second to realize that she was putting him on. When he did he gave her a look that must have broken her hold over her laughter for she suddenly started bubbling up with it and spilling over. He couldn't help but laugh and swung her into his lap so he could hug her. It took a few more seconds to realize what he'd done and he froze, looking down at her to see what she'd do. She was staring at the center of his chest. Her breathing was slow and steady and he realized suddenly that she was doing it on purpose, fighting to maintain control over it so as to not give herself away. "Serenity-" He started on a gruff and didn't even recognize his own voice. His hand lifted off her waist and towards the side of her face. He barely had a feather light touch against the smooth skin and he thought he saw her tilting into it.

But she was suddenly levering herself out of his embrace and standing once more. "We- We should probably get going." Her voice was a little high and she was backing away from him as if he were dangerous. Her back hit the door lightly and it caused her to stop. Her hand groped for the knob. "Let's go." Then she fled away from him into the hall and Endymion gave a huff of frustration.

He got to his feet and put the papers away to where they belonged and then locked everything up, entering the main office, he locked his door behind him. Serenity wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Are we waiting on her?"

"She'll be back in a moment." Jeb was giving him an odd look, almost as if it was accusing him of something. Endymion held his hands up in peace, he wasn't the culprit. "Let's go." His words oddly echoed the other blond's and they reached the steps at the same time she decided to join them again. His pulses were still racing.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

AN: Sorry for the delay, I've been busy doing other stuff. And will be again for the next week or so.

–

Turned out, Andrew's presence was exactly in the time he specified. Serenity hadn't gotten back yet and Andrew and Endymion were out on one of the many balconies over looking the grounds and the river further away. "I've always appreciated your house." Andrew commented as he rested against the rail. "The view has always been spectacular. It makes life seem so insignificant sometimes."

Endymion was leaning against the wall, looking out over it as well, he took a sip of his cold beer before he responded. "It is all of that." Another sip, another sentence. "But that's not what you've come here to talk to me about, is it?"

"No..." Andrew sighed. "Still haven't figured out who would want to do you harm?"

"No clue. All of my largest adversaries are either dead or imprisoned. Those in jail don't offer much in way of motive. They're already sentenced and the public knows why as well as being so deeply buried in their prisons that their help could not find them."

"So someone with a personal vendetta?" Andrew asked nonchalant, taking another sip of his beer.

"Perhaps, though I don't make enough waves with people in my personal life to warrant that." Endymion agreed, breathing in the somewhat cool air as it wafted through the trees and across the grass plain. He could smell the river if he tried hard on that very same breeze.

"Ah well." Andrew shrugged and turned to face Endymion with his elbows propped up behind him. "Serenity and her team will find whoever it is. Did you see the game on Monday? I thought for sure we had an easy win against Milan this year."

Their conversation dissolved into talk about football, but with Andrew it was just one of the multitude of conversations they could discuss. Today it was just what he needed to relax the tension out of him over the last few weeks. His time with Serenity wasn't exactly peaceful. Talking about regular things like sports helped to clear his head some days and today along with the open air helped him cool off as he could see Serenity sliding herself out of the car in his peripheral. He had never seen her wear something that revealed so much unseen flesh and yet she was still completely covered in all the important places and then some.

He tried to keep his gaze away from the garage and then decided it might be best to go join her. "Looks like your star employee has finally arrived." Endymion gestured with a nod towards the garages just out of Andrew's view. They were nestled into the overgrown of trees so the garages themselves weren't an eyesore from this balcony. Serenity hadn't been pleased with the number of trees or other aspects of his property when she first came, but purely for security reasons. She hadn't said anything since, the others just adapting it to their rounds and being on slightly higher alert.

Andrew turned and Endymion caught the grin that spread over his friend's features. Endymion wondered if there had been more to the story about Andrew's time with her than he had shared. Then again, if this was any indicator to how she treated her clients, she was probably a nun as her fourth career, just nobody knew it. "Let's go." Andrew agreed and together they made their way down the stairs closest to the garages and then across the lawn to Serenity, talking the whole time.

Serenity was followed by Jeb, and she was talking, but not to him. She was getting caught up with the rest of her crew about the status here. When she looked up she practically squealed and ran the remaining distance to throw herself into Andrew's arms. He caught her and held her tight, her legs clamping around his torso and the two of them laughed, pleased to see each other.

Jeb smiled ruefully at Endymion who could only stare in a bit of shock at this display. Serenity, sure he got that, Andrew too, but together? And to such an extent? Andrew was a bloody Prime Minister! He wasn't supposed to ever be out of character, that of a well-groomed, well-spoken man with perfect manners. PMs didn't act like that. Serenity he could see, she was after all American and a celebrity. Serenity's legs came down and she gave Andrew another strong hug before they started talking animatedly. It seemed everyone she knew got her warmth and bubbliness, everyone except him.

Endymion grumbled to himself that while she was bubbly it was always annoying and generally when she was taunting him or gloating. The only time she had willingly touched him and shown that warmth was when they first met and she was trying to dupe him. Suddenly though when it was to become more serious and she had to see him all the time, she put the breaks on that and while outwardly warmish, she had a stand-off layer just beneath that and something else beneath that but he couldn't figure out what.

"I'm your boyfriend, don't I get a greeting like that?" Endymion finally found his voice to quip and appear unaffected.

She gave Andrew another quick hug before she was at his side and lacing an arm about his waist. "Of course!" She laughed. "Can't be too sure if a reporter is trying to snap a photo or not."

"He gets you draping yourself around him and I don't even get a kiss? How do you think the reporters will run with that?" Endymion couldn't help but tease her.

Andrew was looking at them oddly, as if trying to figure something out. He must have because suddenly he was cheerfully leading them back towards the house. "Hardly fair on you old chap if she were to kiss you in public and nothing on the home front. You probably wouldn't know how to reclaim your sanity afterward."

"If that's a testament to my skill, thank you." Endymion didn't see her wink but saw Andrew's answering smile. A frown crossed Endymion's features, not pleased in the least. He tugged her towards the house and couldn't help but enjoy the feel of her warmth along his side. His hand grazed the bare flesh of her arm in her cropped tee. Her low riding baggy pants did little in aide while walking and their crossing back was a bit slower than to come out and get her. Andrew and Serenity chatted pleasantly the whole way back, Jeb falling into a step behind though Andrew included him in the conversation as well.

Once they were inside, Serenity perched on the armrest next to Andrew and Endymion sat down in the chair next to them but still able to face and talk to them normally. "Jeb's a newer addition, isn't he?" Andrew commented with a curious look towards Serenity.

She made a face, everything scrunched up and twisted slightly. "Jeb's-"

"Sticking around." He answered for her, coming back into the room with drinks. The air was starting to chill and Serenity reached for a blanket to wrap around her but she made no response to Jeb's claim.

"So Andy, I see you have done very little with your life since we've last met." She was shaking her head in disbelief. "When are you going to grow up and see that life is not just fun and games? You have to be serious at some point and take on the world as it is and not your magical make-believe place. Seriously, Endymion looks like an old stogy compared to you!"

Endymion swallowed back the instant defense of his character, she had already assured him that she was not interested in the slightest in anything he did, it being the least stimulating of lives. But it somehow seemed off when compared in such a way to Andrew's lifestyle. He wasn't sure where the teasing ended and where it began.

Andrew took it out of his hands for him with a roaring laugh. "Oh I have missed you my American buttercup!" He fell against the back of the couch and she fell into his lap when he shook it. Andrew gave her another hug before setting her to the side, but he was still laughing.

Endymion was about to ask what this was all about when Serenity giggled out more. "I am a serious person, Andy, I couldn't begin to understand why you are laughing. We are in England. No one-"

"Stop, stop, seriously!" Andrew waved her off and Endymion had never seen his friend this way. Oh sure, he messed about and they had a good time, laughing even, but this was in an entirely different way. Andrew wiped away the tears in his eyes from laughing so hard and seemed to catch himself as Endymion felt so out of place again. "Sere, we're being quite rude." He whispered down to her and she caught on quickly, looking apologetic to Endymion. "Sere and I had running jokes throughout our time together. Those jokes took off a lot of the edge when I was stressing out, some of them had been very accurate and to the point. I'm afraid we've just fallen on an old crutch."

Serenity rolled her eyes and came over to sit on the arm of Endymion's chair. "Endy knows the truth about what I think about him. He doesn't need to feel out of the loop." Serenity ruffled Endymion's hair and he was surprised by the touch and the words. Half of him wanted to duck and the other half relished the feel of her fingers through his hair.

"No, I don't actually." He admitted. "I was in quite the mindset that I'm boring."

Serenity snorted. "A boring man wouldn't break away from my guards and drive as if he were in the NASCAR sprint races along the country roads of England."

Endymion thought that was just one thing that she found interesting about him, but he didn't fish for more. Instead he relaxed back into chair and fell into an easy conversation with his friend and female bodyguard. At one point Serenity got up and opened the window to let in a draft, though she still had the blanket. The three of them got along well and he was surprised to find that he was laughing most of the night and that Serenity had resumed her perch by Endymion's side. Though she didn't appear at all worried about Andrew being a danger to anyone.

One thing he was sure of as he waved goodbye to Andrew and his guard, one of Serenity's that stayed on with the blond man, was that there was absolutely nothing between those two other than a very good friendship. It relieved Endymion and he smiled down at Serenity at his side. She seemed to freeze from whatever it was she might have been planning to do as she looked up at him as if she had never seen him before, at least not quite in this way. Serenity swayed towards him just an inch more and he reached out to encircle her jaw with his thumb and the edge of his pointer, from there-

But the moment was ruined as Serenity suddenly jerked as if startled by something Endymion had no reason to be. Then he realized as she held up a finger and her other hand rubbed her ear that someone had startled her and that there was a reason for him not to be. Then she was running off through the house, talking fast but he couldn't hear what she was saying.

Endymion followed her wake slowly, not sure if he was supposed to be following at all. He lost her for awhile but he ended up on the other side of the house, in the direction of the river and trees and he saw Serenity returning, looking frustrated. Behind her Kai and Jeb followed. She brightened instantly once she saw Endymion there and rushed to his side. "Oh come on Endy! I have something to show you!" She pulled him back inside and when the door closed behind the foursome she dropped his arm. "There was a sighting of someone breaching the perimeter but by the time Kai got there, they were gone."

"_You_ were not supposed to come out investigating yourself." Kai reminded her sharply.

She scowled back at her over-protective protector. Though Kai wasn't supposed to be _really _protecting her. Endymion didn't see why she couldn't do anything she wanted as the boss. "Endymion was fine, Nic and Zed were only feet away from him."

"Does this have anything to do with Andrew? Is he going to be all right?" Endymion asked instead of listening to another full-blown argument between the two. Serenity always won due to her insistent positive attitude. It wore Kai down and he had no choice but to give in. Her energy was boundless.

Jeb grinned, as if he was pleased by this change of events. "Nah, the only thing it had to do with him is the timing. They knew you'd be home and were going to use that to sneak through the defenses as we were all busy with the PM's visit. They're stupid as we were on higher alert with more bodies on the ground."

"Why are you happy?" Endymion asked, clearly not amused that there was any risk towards his friend, or he reckoned, himself.

"Because things are finally moving. I was afraid things were going to be a stalemate forever. Now that someone's breached security, we can have a look on the feed and see if we got a face to go along with the letters."

"Including this one." Serenity pulled one out of seemingly no where and when he glanced over her shoulder at the words, he felt his gut drop. It was the same one he had hidden. "Found it in a pile in your desk where it shouldn't have been."

"That's invasion of privacy. You don't have the clearance to be sticking your nose into my papers." Endymion was heating up nicely now that he realized she'd been snooping.

"I have the highest security clearance of every nation I step foot into." Serenity waved his anger away and handed it over to her goons.

"That's not even possible!" Endymion objected.

"No, perhaps not." Serenity smiled sweetly at him. "But you'll never know, will you?"

"It'd be easy to find out, a few correctly placed calls and I'll know all your dirty secrets." Endymion argued, wanting to snatch the letter back.

"Why didn't you show it to us earlier? Why hide it?" She ignored him and his claims, probably knowing that her secrets were safe. More than his were at any rate. "It was important. We could have dusted it for prints and seen to it that it got analyzed properly."

"I didn't think it was important. I didn't think it would matter. It's a silly threat and a lame demand. I have nothing they want and I'm not going to do anything they want me to do."

Serenity tilted her head sideways and gave him a steady look. "You will tell us in the future when you get a letter that we have not seen. You will share all threats with us. If you do not, we can not protect you. If you do not comply, then I will pack everyone up and we will leave you vulnerable or I'll tie you to a chair and push you everywhere and read all your letters to you. You have two options and so do I." The smile was too sweet and he felt sick just looking at it.

"That's illegal too." He protested.

"I don't follow legalities." She dismissed then took the letter back to run her eyes over it again. "It sounds about right but they don't threaten you in this one. Just demanding. It's almost like a step back from the other letters." A frown slipped over her features as she looked at it. "Something's not quite right with this one. Jeb, get me the others for tomorrow. I'll be pouring over them to see if I can't figure it out." Jeb nodded and he didn't need to write it down, he wouldn't forget. "Come on Endymion, lets get you back inside where its safe."

She was treating him more distantly than she used to, more brisk and he could see he hit a nerve with withholding information. She was upset with him and he didn't like it. He opened his mouth to distract her, break the silence, anything, but nothing came out. He opened and closed his mouth several times before what he didn't mean to say came tumbling out. "I'm sorry." There, it was out there and it took her a moment before she replied.

"Are you really? I seem to have gone down this path with you a few times already. You say you will start complying and then you go and do something else that will put yourself in danger."

"I really will." He vowed. He had no interest in seeing her gone and no desire to be tied up unless it was her doing it while they were in bed. He knew that much about himself, he wanted her like he wanted no other woman and he had since he first laid eyes on her. Then though it had been a different obstacle in his way but one easier to overcome, especially as she made a point in telling him it was only a friend she had been with that night. Now it seemed as if the obstacles kept stacking up.

She didn't trust him! It was clearly there written in her eyes but her words belittled his suspicions. "All right. We'll move on from here." He had not doubts that she would watch him closer than ever.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

–

He finished preparing himself for the Ambassadorship of Europe. He realized with clarity that it was complex, that was obvious enough from the outset, but he hadn't realized that the issues he would be facing now were ones he had known about for quite some time. He was after all not only a Global Citizen, but his homeland was Europe and the issues hadn't changed much in the last seven years. They were the same issues his parents had wrangled with. The only thing he had to do was catch up on the latests and that was quickly done.

"We're leaving now?" Serenity asked, coming in the room, looking as adorable as ever. Her words though were calm, as he had only seen her before twice. The two times before he knew her occupations.

"Someone here?" He asked, catching on to her strange attitude. She grinned at him sheepishly. "Who?"

"The man you're replacing."

"Ah." Endymion nodded, he had been expecting him but not until later today. "Send him in."

"You do realize it is already four, right?" Serenity arched a blond brow and he glanced at his wrist in mild surprise.

"So it is." He had been distracted finalizing his plans. The only thing he hadn't missed was the fact that Serenity and Jeb were no where to be seen, all day. Zed had the day off, so he knew Serenity wasn't at her shoots or working on her lines. The public duty was off her radar today. Wherever she and Jeb had gone, today had been personal for them. He didn't give any indication that he was pleased to see her now. "Did you do what you needed to?" She looked confused at him and he gestured towards where she was. "With Jeb." He clarified, as if she knew that he was talking about her time away.

She hesitated a moment, shifting through what he said and what her answer should be and then she smiled wryly. "I guess you could say that."

Endymion nodded. "Show him in." Serenity's head ducked back out again and this time it was Nic showing the old ambassador into the room. Serenity was probably off pouting somewhere that as his 'girlfriend' she didn't show in anyone. Though she didn't give any indication about that when she came in later, after the ambassador left. The meeting had been uneventful, just a few key things the old one thought were important pearls of wisdom and a few actually were. Tomorrow they'd go to a ceremony where the old one would step down and Endymion would step up. At least all of it would appear so officially as he was already acting as his title declared.

Serenity was actually a little bemused when she came back in. "What is happening?"

"Seems Kai will be having the night off as well." She chuckled. "Someone very important is in town for the night and he's going to be spending his time there."

"Anyone in particular?"

"Very particular." Serenity agreed, but she would say no more on the subject. Well, mostly. "Perks of my job, it gets them in touching distance of all sorts."

"Just them?" Endymion questioned casually, not wanting to appear interested in this line of topic. "What about you?"

"Oh. Well I do meet all sorts, but mostly they're clients and I never mix that, company policy and one of my own little rules." She shrugged deliciously. "Though..." She never finished her thought, her thought causing a short devilish laugh in its place.

Endymion looked at her, wanting to ask but history taught him never to ask a woman for details when she laughed like that. It usually got him into trouble. Instead he asked about who would be left. "Just you, Jeb and Nic then for the night?"

"Well... yeah." She was going to say something else again and then quickly changed her mind. "Want to go out tonight?" She asked batting her eyelashes and he couldn't find it in his heart to say no.

–

They ended up at a random pub and drinking. Though Jeb and Nic sipped on water while Serenity and him had a drinking competition. Somehow she was winning. "No more shots!" He protested.

"Ok, want to dance instead?" She rose to her feet lithely and held out her hand. There was some music playing but no one was dancing.

"This isn't a disco." Endymion tried to ignore her hand but she jiggled it in front of him and he sighed and took her offered hand, letting her pull him to his feet. He tipped a little and Jeb offered him a hand. Endymion glared at the offending object before pulling Serenity closer to him. He wasn't drunk, per se... though everyone else probably thought he was.

The music wasn't really meant to be danced so close or at least not like they were, but Serenity didn't offer a protest. She only wrapped her arms around his neck and went at his pace, a secretive smile upon her lips. He knew exactly what he wanted to be on her lips, _his_. But he knew the last time he tried while drinking she'd side-stepped him and they had, well actually _he_ had an awkward morning, she was probably used to it.

Just then a flash went off in his face and he lifted his head to utter a curse. Another flash, followed by two more. "Bloody paps." He dragged Serenity closer to him in an effort to protect, but she only turned around in his arms and leaned back against his chest, her hands lying over his. She smiled serenely to the press. Jeb and Nic were working on moving them off but they weren't trying too hard. Then something clicked in Endymion's brain. He scowled down at Serenity. "You set this up, didn't you?"

She glanced up at him innocently, her eyes batting too slowly to be natural and he knew he was right. He let go of her, grumbling as he did so. "Endy?" She protested his distance and came after him, reaching for him and giving him a questioning look.

He never knew when she was being real and when she was posing for the cameras. Everything she did was planned. "I want to go home." He snatched his arm back from her. "I'm sick of these photo shoots. If that's what you want, you do it, but stop dragging me into this! You've known since the moment we got together that this exactly what I hate about being well-known!" His words, though not intentionally following their cover story somehow still fit.

Serenity scrambled after him as he stormed out of the pub, Nic already out ahead of him and Jeb following Serenity. "Endy!" She had to jog to keep up with him and the press were snapping pictures away the entire time. He knew that the headlines tomorrow would be anything but pleasant. She gripped his arm and pulled him back to her. "Please stop!" There was a plead to her voice he wasn't used to and when he looked into her eyes he sucked in a breath. They really were trying to get him to calm down, he knew this wasn't a ploy. So he stopped and waited to see what she'd do. "I'm sorry." She began, head bowed, not sure what to say, or at least that's what he thought. "It's part of me and my life. I'll work on keeping it to a minimum and warning you if I suspect-" She lifted her head and he fell for it. He probably would have regretted it later on, but for now, he believed her.

Serenity looked behind her for a second, looking desperate and then she turned back to him, pulled him by his lapels, making him bend almost in half to reach her eye level and then her lips were pressing hard against his. He didn't know what to do for a moment, he was still cooling off and she was causing him to heat up again. But that moment didn't last long and his hands were on her shoulders, but instead of pushing her away, he was pulling her closer. His hands molded over her shoulders, feeling just how small and delicate she was. One hand slipped down her back and in the center of it pushed her towards him. His hand started going lower to the center of her back but before he could touch anything inappropriate a cat-call, or rather several, from the press had him realizing that he was in a public place and with people more than happy to record everything that transpired. The idea that this wasn't just between them anymore cooled him faster than any images he could pull up could.

He didn't want Serenity subject to this, even if she was used to it. Anything they did, that was purely for themselves and it was private. He dragged his lips away from her tempting ones and encircled her into a one arm embrace. He heard the motor behind him and knew the car had pulled up. He opened the door and held it open for Serenity and then followed her in. Jeb got in after them, Nic behind the wheel.

The door closed and they were heading home. Endymion went to pull Serenity into his embrace again, at least hold her, but she was sitting on the other side with Jeb and they were conversing quietly. That made him realize that now was not the time to drag this out and talk about it. He leaned his head against the seat and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were in his garage and the motor was cut. Serenity was out of the car and Jeb was waiting for him to wake up. Endymion realized Jeb was trying to wake him. Endymion unfurled himself from the car and followed the man up to the mansion.

Endymion looked around as they walked but Nic and Serenity weren't anywhere to be seen. "Where-"

"Sere went to bed." Jeb cut his question off with no humor in his tone, very different than the man he generally dealt with. It did not broke further conversation.

"What about Nic?"

"He took her there." Jeb's lips thinned until they were almost white. "She was unable to walk properly." Endymion wondered if that was supposed to be a hint of some sort. At any rate, Jeb was not pleased that Serenity had acted that way in public and probably wasn't pleased that it was with Endymion and not him. Jeb had to have a really good control over his jealousy to allow his girlfriend to pretend to be dating other men all the time.

Once they were inside, Jeb walked away from him and Endymion went up the stairs that would take him to his room. He didn't bother changing, just undressed to his boxers and slipped into bed. He was asleep a lot later than he would have suspected with how much he had to drink and how late the hour was. Sleep did not come easily for the second time. Too much was on his mind.

–

The next morning he found that nobody was around. He almost thought that he had dreamed the whole situation until he walked into the kitchen and found Serenity curled up onto the couch that also occupied the space. She was drinking a coffee, something he wouldn't think she needed on a normal day but she was sipping it and reading the newspaper.

"Anything good?" He asked, he wasn't used to getting a Saturday paper, the Sunday edition the only one that he bothered to look at and only for the things he couldn't follow regularly. He didn't know where to begin with Serenity today and she glanced only momentarily at him before throwing a stack of papers, headlines, from all sorts of different news publishers onto the table in front of him. They were all face up and he slid them around so he could see all at once.

An uncomfortable squeezing sensation took over his gut as he looked at the order. It had them dancing in the pub. "Lovers out for a Drink." The title read. The next one had them arguing. "Are They on the Rocks?" "Lovers Spat." "Break Up Eminent." "Ambassador and Icon in Dangerous Waters!" Were just four of the ones about the fight. Then front and center on his favorite newspaper was a picture that took up the entire top of the oblong paper. It depicted the "Kiss." Endymion scanned the title. "Endynity Share First Captured Kiss." It was a full on lip lock and both parties seemed to be enjoying it thoroughly.

"Cute name meshing." Endymion commented perusing the rest of the article. It talked about how things started well that night, they had hit a rough patch and then all but made up for their lack of public outings in one go as they shared the first kiss a photographer was able to capture. It wasn't speculated that it was the first kiss ever, just the first one the stodgy Ambassador and fun-loving Icon had shared where someone was able to catch one. Their control had 'slipped' for a brief moment.

Serenity wasn't talking to him, just reading the rest of her paper. He hadn't realized that this was something she did. He tried for another angle. "They captured my good side." He teased and she tossed back the rest of her coffee. He winced at the idea of her scalding her throat. When she rose to her feet and rinsed her cup out, he followed her with his eyes. "Ready for round two?"

She whirled on him. "That wasn't supposed to happen last night! I was just going to give you a quick peck to get the vultures off our back but then you had to go and make it a huge thing!"

"That was _not _a quick peck!" Endymion gestured towards the picture. "I don't know where you learned that smashing your lips against someone else's and holding them there is a peck! What do you mean it was for them?"

"That's all it was!" She snapped. "It was a publicity stunt, nothing more! So don't think for one second that we're going to have a repeat of last night!"

"Do you ever get tired of this?" Endymion was getting angry. He had thought that maybe last night he had finally chipped into her steely resolve to keep him a hundred feet away. Especially because now he knew that she felt the attraction as well, no matter how she tried to hide it.

"Get tired of what?"

"This! All the lies, all the deceit! Can't you be honest for one moment in your life? I never know which way is up with you! One time you tell me its this way and the next its that. I am a good read on people, I know when they're lying but you- it's like you're lying about lying!"

She took a deep steadying breath and a step away. "I already told you, I don't get involved with clients, its a rule I have. Anything I might do in front of the press it is completely thought out. It doesn't _mean_ anything. I thought you knew that when I told you about my job! I'm sorry if you've gotten emotionally involved and are confused. That wasn't my intention. But there is nothing between us, so don't you dare think you can hint towards it at all. Our relationship is purely professional but we both have to be actors in front of the proverbial camera."

Endymion felt a scowl slip upon his features. "Stay away from me." The tone was low and dark, just daring her to breech the line he just drew in the sand. "I want you to physically stay away. If you think that this is the best way to go about being a bodyguard, well then, I have to tell you that you're crossing the line far too often. You are a heartless shrew and I'd rather not see your face at all."

"You can't just get rid of me." Serenity warned.

"_Watch_ me."

Endymion stormed away from Serenity and slammed the door shut in his study. He grabbed up the phone and dialed Andrew. "You have to fire her. She's mentally unstable!"

The man on the other end just laughed. "What did you do now?"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

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AN: I might be taking a few liberties with this chapter... Let it be please.

–

"I'm not going to fire her, Dymion." Andrew said for the tenth time. "It might have been wrong for her to do that, but I stake my reputation on this, she's the best bet of keeping you alive. I've been getting letters asking for you to step down or else there'd be consequences. The threats aren't directed at me, but I still have more bodyguards than I'm pleased with at the moment."

"Give me real ones, give me a hundred, I don't care! I just don't want Serenity here anymore."

"I'm sure there's a reason why she did what she did. I'm sorry, but she's staying put. Look, if it makes you feel any better... I'll talk to her about this. She has been different this time and I'm not sure what it is. It might have been a mistake. Give her a chance to explain."

"I don't want her to. I want her gone. She's been lying to me at every moment she can. I dislike this tight confine that she's put around me."

"That doesn't sound much like the Serenity I know. She's bright, outgoing, caring. She worries about the small details. This isn't your first rodeo with a female, what makes this one harder to pretend with?"

"The fact that I hate that word in this scenario. I wanted a chance with her months ago but I didn't know who she was and I put it off. Then I learned that she'd been put there systematically to ensure that my interest would be snared."

"Dym-" Andrew's voice held all the concern that Endymion needed to hear. He was suddenly wising up to Endymion's plight and was trying to find the best way to broach this. "I don't know why she's doing this, but there's always a reason behind everything she does. Continue going with the flow, and everything will smooth itself out."

"I hate all the publicity." Endymion argued.

"There's got to be a reason." Andrew insisted. Then he started chuckling. "I'm loving the photo of the two of you on the rags."

Endymion groaned and dropped his face into his hands. "That was sure some kiss." Endymion agreed. "But I'm sure you know all about it."

"Actually I don't." Andrew dropped in his lap. "Serenity never kissed me."

"I've- it's hard to explain."

"You've got feeling for her. In fact I'd almost even say that she does things to you that no other female has managed to do to you. I've never seen you like this before and I have a feeling that its something you don't want to acknowledge."

"I'll acknowledge it all right, but it's completely one sided."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Positive. She made it completely clear a few times now. I was just too dumb not to listen. What would she want with a boring Ambassador anyway? I wouldn't be surprised if I were her most bull-headed client."

"I'm sure you're not." Andrew chuckled. "I don't know who she's worked with before, but I don't think all would have kept their distance and their comments quite to themselves the way you have. However perhaps your right to stay away. She's doing a job and these things might get a little tricky with being practically on top of each other. It might just be a location and situation problem." There was something in his voice that Endymion couldn't quite place, but his heart came up with a word that he knew not to be true, but had to investigate anyway. Was Andrew, Jealous?

"Drew, I don't know how you came out of this type of situation completely unscathed." Endymion complained, throwing his head down onto top of his folded arms with a groan. "I was already falling for her before the forced close-quarters. But to think that's she's had several hundreds of male clients-"

"I wouldn't say that I did either." Andrew commented lightly but that didn't go unnoticed by Endymion, not in the least. The dark haired man's head shot back up and he fixed Andrew with a steely hiss, daring him to not go on as he waited for the sound to come from the other end of the line. "Not that Sere gave me any motivation to feel that way. She was always perfectly friendly and that was the problem. She treated everybody with that unfailing polite charming manner. The only difference I could see between me and a hundred other males was that she actually deemed it important to spend time with me. More than the others at any rate. I thought that meant something more. Remember I didn't know who she was the entire time. But she didn't give any indication that she was aware of my feelings either.

When I'd attempted for something more, she somehow managed to maneuver it to make it seem like I was turning her down. Rather, telling her that my feelings weren't that deep and there was nothing to come of it. It was then that I realized she was right and I was feeling more of a warm feeling because she chose to spend a bit more attention on me than the others. I thought that maybe it was because we were both fluent in our same language.

I am glad that I kept talking to her, she wouldn't let it be any other way, and we formed a very strong friendship. I'm thankful for that friendship. Sometimes I think she knows me better than any one else in my life. She certainly knows how to get me to relax. I wouldn't think that you have to worry about anyone that has been her client in the past to harbor intense feelings for her, not that she would ever entertain the notion for a single one of them for longer than a minute. She would have put an end to their desires before they even realized they began."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"I think it does." Andrew begged the differ. "I haven't seen her since our time together, except for the other night with you weeks ago, but there was a difference. I've never seen her act like that around anyone. She was a bit more high-strung. She completely ignored you on several different moments. She made an obvious showing of interest in me by sitting near me first. If that wasn't enough, for Serenity _never _tries to make anyone feel left out and she didn't succeed very well with you, as she felt guilty for trying, then the constant touching of you added all the weight it needed."

"What are you talking about?"

"From the moment she came back from her meeting she was holding your arm, holding your waist, letting you bring her close. Sitting at your side, touching your hair. Walking with you to the door and standing within breathing distance to you as I left, not to mention the touching as you went back in. There were other moments, when you weren't looking at her but she was. She was watching you with an intensity her job does not require."

"I'd say all of that is BS." Endymion argued. "She's done nothing but insult me."

"Now who's BSing?" Andrew countered softly. "She has thrown you back-handed compliments left and right. For a girl who cannot sit still and be alone, calling you boring was just a self-defense method for hiding what she really meant, someone who is content to be on their own. Something she admires a great deal. Then she called you the complete opposite of boring in my presence. Then she even told you that you weren't to your face. Not many people subterfuge her orders and she was probably thrilled by it."

"None of that means anything." Endymion grumbled. "She's seeing Jeb."

Andrew started laughing. "That is the most ridiculous statement I've ever heard. Ask her about him when the time's right. Hell, don't ask, just act. She'll respond, I guarantee it. Just... don't insult him, will you? He might not be her boyfriend or anything sordid as that, but she will take you down for insulting him or one of her friends." Endymion could hear Andrew shake his head.

"I'm now more confused than ever. Are you saying I shouldn't pursue this or that I should?"

"I'm saying that I can see both sides and really it is up to you to figure out how to go about this. I have never seen her behave with anyone else the way I have seen her do with you. Anyone else and you wouldn't be having this conversation with me as we are. You would know how both of you feel and would be at peace with it."

"The only one who isn't at peace is Serenity." Endymion grumbled. "Now because of the way she's made me angry with denying what I obviously know was there last night, I can't even say that with confidence."

"Give her time. She sticks by her principles like a priest. The two of you were drinking last night and you're in a vulnerable position, she might not want to take advantage."

"I have a hard time believing any of that." Endymion huffed in frustration. "If anyone were taking advantage-"

"Yeah." Andrew laughed agreeing with Endymion's unspoken assessment. "But I've got to get going. Got a country to run and everything like that."

"All right, just make sure that you keep it in one piece until I get a chance to leave." Endymion teased.

"Will do." Andrew hesitated before signing off the call. "You'll be all right, won't you?"

"Yeah. I might have to make some changes with my guards, but I wont try to give them the slip." Endymion answered.

"That's not what I meant." Andrew's tone was a bit accusatory.

"I _know_." Endymion ground out. "But its no longer, if it ever were, in my hands. She can do whatever she wants for all I care, as long as it doesn't include me."

He heard it in Andrew's voice even though the man didn't say anything, that he was disappointed. "Ok, cheers mate, see you tonight." Andrew would be at the ceremony officiating.

Almost as soon as he hung up the phone there was a knock at his door. "Come in." Endymion called, not wanting to talk to anyone but having no choice in the matter. It was the one he least wanted to see. "Serenity." He greeted coolly, ignoring her as much as he could.

"Endymion-" She ventured, sounding unsure. He willed his eyes not to look at her, she was a phenomenal actress. "Look, about yesterday and this morning, I'm sorry." That wasn't good enough. She came up to his side and reached a hand out to put on his shoulder. "Really I am. I had no right to act that way at any time. I shouldn't have orchestrated a photo shoot like that, but people were beginning to wonder if we really were an item or if friendship was about as far as we could claim. I was hoping that the kiss would be a little less sensational and while we were dancing or laughing, something impulsive and easily brushed aside as friendly in our eyes but more in the public's. The last thing I wanted was for people to think there was a rift between us, so I acted impulsively and kissed you. I shouldn't have done it." Something in her words didn't ring true to him and he wasn't sure if it was on her end or if it was because he wanted it to mean more than she said.

Endymion bristled a little. "I don't care." He shifted his arm away from her hand and she stood there for a long time, not saying anything. Probably thinking how best to spin this.

He glanced unnoticed at her and she looked forlorn. Then he saw her shoulders go back in his periphery and she was setting herself for what she was going to do next. She was determined. "I am sorry. Truly. This is a working relationship and I let it get the better of me and I didn't take into account your feelings on the matter. From now on I will not tip off any journalists. If they capture pictures of us together it will not be my doing. Or if I think it is necessary to have a few photographs crop up, I will warn you of their presence ahead of time and tell you what they're there for."

"That's all I can ask." He murmured, looking at the speech Tony had whipped up for him. It was pretty good but Endymion had a few things he wanted to change. Usually he wrote his own but this one was so cookie cutter that he felt confident to put it in his secretary's hands.

Serenity turned stiffly around and left the room, taking all the warmth and light with her. She plunged him into a silence that he had never noticed before. He ignored it and continued working. Half an hour later there was another knock. He didn't tell them to come in and they didn't wait either.

Jeb was the one to grace him with his presence this time and he smiled ruefully, knowing he wasn't Endymion's favorite and probably wasn't to be received too warmly. "I wanted to have a word." Jeb held his palm open and the earpiece was in his hand. "Alone."

Endymion gestured to the seat across from him. "By all means."

Jeb sank down into it and a wry grin plastered on his features as he realized the old trick that the chairs did but he didn't comment on the cliché. "It's about Serenity."

"I don't wish to speak about her."

"Well then, just listen." Jeb told him succinctly, not being waylaid by Endymion's clipped tones. Endymion supposed more than one could play that game. He inclined his head, but his eyes went back to his papers. "You have to give her a break. She's got a lot on her plate, more than I can share. That's not an excuse but a plea. She looks like she's handling all of it effortlessly and I almost believe that but something's been off on your case and she's completely aware of it, causing a bit more stress than she's used to."

"This has nothing to do with me. Nor why I should give her a break. I haven't done anything to warrant such accusations in the opposite."

Jeb smiled. "Yeah, I see it now." The comment had no baring with what Endymion just said or anything Jeb said either, the man had spoken out loud to himself. "You might be right, but holding last night over her head has got to stop. She is trying to save your life and she can't do that from the other side of the house."

"This has not stopped her before our disagreement."

"No, but you don't know how she operates. Not all of us agreed with her ploy last night. She's been berated by all four of us for what she did, and you have every right to be angry with her. She acted inappropriately in one way but her role dictated what she had to do, so we let up. Your refusing to talk to her is the last thing she wants and it harms the image she's worked so hard to obtain in the public sphere. She hates it when anyone she knows, and respects, is angry with her. So please rethink your stance. I can guarantee it won't happen again, she can guarantee it as well."

Endymion sat back and looked over at Jeb, weighing his words. On the one hand, he could see Jeb's point. This wasn't conducive to a working relationship but at the same time, the problem was he _wanted_ it to happen again. "We will maintain the facade in public." He slowly allowed. "But I need time to cool off. I'll think about what you've said."

Jeb nodded and stood up. "That's all I can ask for."

"It surprises me that _you_ would be the one to come and talk to me." Endymion inserted before Jeb could replace the earpiece.

Jeb lifted a blond brow over blue eyes. "Oh?"

"What with your relationship with her, I wouldn't have thought that you'd be lobbying for a closer one between the two of us. I would have thought you'd be glad that we were at odds."

"Its not good for business to have unhappy clients." He smiled cheekily, giving nothing away to Endymion's subtle probing. "Nor to have an unhappy Serenity. I'll see you around." He gave a mock salute and wandered off.

Endymion glanced at the clock. He had to go take a shower and change so he'd be ready within the next hour or so to go. The speech was good enough, he'd have to give more time to the future ones, Tony was good but not as good as Endymion would have hoped.

He saw Nic on the way to his rooms and the other man smiled. Endymion returned the gesture. "Oh, did you want me to run an eye over the speech?" He asked, fulfilling his role as secretary, but he was only supposed to be the mediator between Tony and Zed.

"Sure. It's on my desk." Endymion gave him his thanks and went upstairs. Tonight was semi-formal, before and after the ceremony there would be drinks, dinner and music. He saw a flash of gold disappear down the hall and he wondered if Serenity was on her way to get ready as well. As his date for the night, she'd have to appear his equal. Knowing what looks she'd worn in the past, he didn't have a worry about that. She was a complete chameleon yet unable to completely disappear. Everyone knew her face.

Endymion was finishing up, applying cufflinks to his sleeves and walking out of his room. Serenity's was further down but she happened to come out at the same time. She looked startled and started apologizing about the near run in. He had to remind himself to pick his jaw up from the ground. He had trouble clearing his throat and it took a few starts before he was able to accurately express himself. "You look-" He completely forgot about his anger until just then and he snapped himself into a straight position. "Passable." That was the biggest understatement of the year! She not only looked gorgeous, but she looked sexy as hell to boot!

"Gee, thanks." Serenity smiled tightly. Her eyes flicking to his wrists. "Need any help fastening them?" They might be a bit old school, but they added a bit of pizzazz. He held out his right arm for her to do up, it was more difficult for him than his left. He almost thought it was a mistake when her hands deftly did it up, but her fingertips still brushed the sensitive skin at his wrist.

Where she touched, it felt like scorch marks. Though her hands were still _cool_, his blood rushed up to meet each smooth strike against his skin. He pulled away from her almost unwillingly and nodded curtly. "Thank you." He turned and made his way back down the stairs. He knew Serenity was following him in her- was it black or was it cerulean?, gown. Depending on the angle, the color was completely different. He wasn't sure how that could be, especially such vividly contrasting colors. The material itself was whisper thin. The only thing she could possibly wear under it was a perfectly matching body-glove. The dress clung to all her curves yet it didn't look uncomfortable in the slightest. He had to swallow painfully to even begin thinking of other things that could distract him from his imagination on what she wore underneath.

Near the door, he waited for her to put on her shoes. When she bent, he was aware of the dental-floss strapped, highest yet, heels. So when she stood, she would be practically walking on the tips of her toes. He noticed in that moment that her legs were bare and were tanner than anyone in England had a right to be.

He cleared his throat when she saw him noticing her and raised an eyebrow in question. "Do you use self-tanning lotion or do you run off to the salon every time you're out of my sight?" The tan wasn't from a bed or from the non-existent sun, there was no pealing or shedding or spots that accompanied such behavior. Though he had seen her outdoors most of the day, as long as it wasn't raining or they weren't in his office. That time outdoors might have contributed to a shade darker than the normal British complexion but couldn't account for hers.

Confusion still graced her features and then the cloud cleared and a smile blossomed in its place. This was the one she usually reserved for him and he wondered if it was because he was so daft and she was amused. "I've told you, I'm part Native American."

"You also said that was ages ago." He countered.

She shrugged her one bare shoulder, looking back at him innocently. "Some traits carry on from one generation to the next. I'm not nearly as dark as my ancestors but its still there. Other traits choose to express themselves randomly, with no real rhyme or reason to it, but its in the genetic pool, so its a contributor. For example, neither of my parents are a natural blond and before you ask, yes, they are both my biological parents."

"But there was blond somewhere in your gene pool?" Endymion asked noticing the height gain as she rose to her feet, the top of her head almost reached his nose rather than his chin like her regular heels.

"The gene, sure, the color, eh." She made a hand gesture rocking it from side to side as well as pulling a face. "My maternal great-grandmother was as blond as... well, the British are pale." She laughed at an inside joke, he wasn't sure he got the full impact of it but he got not only the origin but the humor. The confusion must have been on his face because she grinned wryly. "Jeb's Australian."

That made things a hundred times clearer. Endymion nodded and reluctantly held out an arm for her, afraid she would topple over without his support. She took it gratefully, though she was still very graceful when she walked without it. "And the eyes?" He asked leading her down the path to the car. They were unique and never a color he'd seen in someone's face before. The blue was an ancient color, somewhat like antique furniture, faded but knowing at one time it had been vibrant as some strands still maintained that color. It was not only unique, but he couldn't help but recognize that they were stunning.

"They are exactly the same as my mother's and her father before her and her grandfather before him and so on."

"Do you get anything from your father?" He teased, opening the car door and helping her into the seat. He moved quickly to his side before she answered and she waited to do so rather then letting it drop.

She grimaced. "My height."

"Your mother was the tall one?"

"Unfortunately, and no, she did not pass that on, at least- nevermind."

Endymion nodded during the drive to the conference and party gathering thereafter. He was thinking quickly, she was in a rare form where she didn't mind him asking too many personal questions and not getting bored with the topic instantly. Usually he'd get an answer or two and then she'd switch subjects, never to be reclaimed again and he was so interested to know all he could. Generally _she _was peppering him about personal details. She wasn't going to share the rest of that last thought, but he had more questions. "Was there anything good, in your mind, that he passed on?"

"My winning personality?" She batted her eyelashes at him and suddenly he knew that frank honesty was coming to a close about her and her family. She'd hide the rest now in flippant comments like that one, honest sure, but completely? That was a bit harder to judge.

"I think that probably came from your mother as well." A corner hitched up on the side of her face and he wondered if he hit the nail on the head with that one.

"The incessantly upbeat aspect, probably." She agreed reluctantly. "The sweetness actually came from my father."

"You're sweet?" Endymion choked out and he laughed when she glared at him. "Ok, you have your moments. When you're _not_ laughing at me for doing something incredibly stupid or saying something dumb."

"Then by the way you speak, it means that I'm never sweet." There was a slight frown the the corners of her mouth and then she shrugged. "Perhaps then that you don't warrant any sweetness." She said glibly but the sting was taken out of her words by her over the top cheesy grin.

"Sometimes your frank analysis and openness makes we wonder exactly how effective you can be in the field. It also makes me wonder why you aren't dead yet. Even if you weren't hiding your secret job from them and doing illegal things."

His eyes slid across the car to her and something in his look told her that it was not said in spite, but that her personality was unlike any he'd come across before. She amused and amazed him and she was always doing so.

They arrived far too early to the ceremony for Endymion's peace of mind. He wasn't worried about addressing the people or even the duties that would face him once he completely stepped into his new role. Rather he wished to retain the laid back atmosphere they obtained in the silence and seclusion of his two seater. They were never going to be alone for the rest of the evening and he didn't know if any point in the future they could recapture this. It was a turning point of sorts and they were both vaguely aware of it and hadn't shied away. That didn't mean though once they left the car, they would both come together with the same mentality again.

There was very little choice though, they couldn't just sit in the car for the rest of the evening, Endymion had his duties and Serenity's door was being opened by Kai. He and Nic had followed behind. Jeb was already inside, waiting for them to arrive as he scouted it out ahead of time and ensured it was safe to come. Zed was monitoring the roads, news and police scanners. He had no real reason to be with Serenity tonight as it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with Endymion. This was a well advertised event and if anyone was going to attack him, this was one time they knew _exactly _where he'd be and when. The same couldn't even be said at his place of residence or office. In those situations there was always the possibility of being drawn away from a room or building altogether without warning. Here he was required and it was systematically planned out for every second.

There were many other bodyguards at the gathering tonight. Some were for Endymion and the others were for Andrew. He had said that his guards were mostly hired through Serenity's company. Endymion could spot the obvious ones and the not as easily viewed were exactly that. He knew what to look for in some cases but if Andrew had more than he could see, Endymion was not positive he could say one way or another.

Andrew came over to greet him. On his arm was a very tall, very beautiful blond. It was with some surprise that Endymion saw Kai stiffen and a glare he had never seen before crossed the large man's features. If he had been in Andrew's shoes, he might feel nervous. The glare Kai was giving his blond friend was equivalent to a death stare. In all truthfulness, Andrew should be dead.

It was odd though because he thought the two men got on well enough. Kai had guarded Andrew in the past and when they had met again at the house, they seemed on friendly terms. He heard Serenity's brittle laugh just then and she extracted herself from his side to take the other woman's arm. "Come along now Mina, lets leave the men to... talk." She gave a pointed look at Kai and then shuffled the tall blond away.

Endymion wished he could be a bug and overhear their conversation, but Jeb and Nic had that pleasure while Kai stayed back with him. Andrew looked over to Kai with a smile but it melted off his naturally cheery face when he saw the black look in return. "I'm sorry?" Andrew ventured without even knowing what or even if, he had done something wrong. Kai's features cleared a little at the apology and he nodded stiffly. "We'll talk later." Andrew promised the brute of a bodyguard.

Endymion and Andrew walked away from Kai and Endymion asked what everyone was thinking. "What was that about?"

"I'm not sure, Mina had said something about her boyfriend being temporarily assigned to England... but I hadn't made the connection. She wanted to come and meet the newest Ambassador and so I invited her along."

"What's her job?" Endymion asked dryly and when Andrew gave him a disbelieving look he scowled. "What?"

"She's the most sought after model in the world right now. If someone manages to score her to do a shoot, they're lucky. Though she does always acknowledge her starters and if they want her, they get first priority unless she's already on site with another agency or photographer."

"I thought Serenity-"

Andrew shook his head. "She dabbles in it, but Mina's job _is_ modeling. Serenity's a lot more fussy about what she poses in front of the camera for."

Endymion's scowl deepened, his earlier anger at the girl resurfacing. Seems she didn't have any problem posing for the camera if it meant to cement their arrangement to the press. Andrew seemed to recognize it as well _and_ the reason behind it. He tried to feebly change the topic, but Endymion waved his concern away and forced a brighter look onto his features. Serenity had apologized at large about it and they'd come to an understanding. He shouldn't hold this over her head anymore, though he would be a bit more cautious about where they were and what they did. Though she had promised and from what he had seen she stuck to those. "How do they know each other then?" Endymion gestured towards the blonds, so disproportionally off even if the technical coloring was the same. On a license, both would read blond hair, blue eyes. But that seemed like such a vast simplification.

Serenity had frog marched the other blond away with a serious face, something both funny and surprising, Serenity even with her heels only came up to Mina's shoulder. Mina was probably nearer Endymion's height, yet still shorter by several inches. Though the tall model was wearing heels as well, though not quite as ridiculous. Endymion wouldn't go so far as to call her... skinny. She was thin and fit but there was definite appeal to her shape and softness. Then he could suddenly put his finger on it, she had a volleyball figure. Tall, thin and fit but only because she was active. His eyes didn't remain long on the taller one, she was probably on the shorter side of models. 5'8, maybe 5'9, at most 5'10 before the heels.

His eyes kept going instead to the short one of the two, the one that was all the right curves but it was more than that. It was the personality imbued behind her eyes, the vibrant, cheerful, fun-loving nature. The caring, sensitive girl that she didn't want people to really see, but wanted to put enough of it out there so nobody would take her too seriously, but just seriously enough. The way she could manhandle someone was charming, though nobody had seen the strength in her fingers as she pulled the other girl with her. He saw all of that when he looked at her, and it made him long to touch the goodness in her. To know she was real and not a figment of his imagination.

She had been concerned about Kai, he had seen that clear enough, and saw it now too, as her eyes kept flickering to the man brooding in the corner, but watching all that went on as well. Nic was slowly making his rounds towards Endymion, the only one who could reasonably do it without Serenity's presence.

"Well, she has worked with Serenity in the fashion world on many occasions. I suppose I should have realized Mina was talking about Kai. The description she gave me was spot on when I asked about him. But her nickname for him is-"

"Let me guess?" Endymion asked, seeing the taller one laugh loudly and she seemed just as bubbly as Serenity. "Ke-ke?"

"No, just K. I thought it was for k-a-y, but I guess she just calls him by his first initial."

"For some reason I can't see Kai letting just anyone change his name or a name so antagonistic if said wrong."

"_I _can't believe that she's dating him. Though I suppose it makes sense in a way, always running into each other whenever she sees Serenity, and he is big and-" Andrew made some type of gesture with his hands that was supposed to describe for him where words failed about Kai's body and appeal but the gesture didn't really make sense and Endymion couldn't even begin to describe it. Andrew sighed. "It's just the way the world works sometimes."

Endymion was glad to see that Andrew didn't say anything about the fact that Kai was a lowly bodyguard, but then Endymion reminded himself, that Kai wasn't that either. He was like Serenity, bodyguard was just his cover. He wondered, for the millionth time, just what they all did when they weren't hiding behind these covers.

Nic made his presence known and nodded at Andrew's words. "I can't either. The little bastard hid it from all of us. Or rather, all but Serenity. He probably spilled the whole thing out to her the moment it happened and not because he only told her so he could get the days off when Mina was in the same city."

Endymion couldn't help but laugh at the last half hour's conversation. These guys were too much and _way_ too involved with each other's lives. Though he supposed, that's what made them seem like a family, the fact that they cared so much about each other. Even when it was inconvenient sometimes. He'd noticed too, that this group, Serenity and her four male entourage seemed the most cohesive of the group of bodyguards there tonight. Even though most were on Serenity's payroll either for himself or Andrew, those five moved with a fluidity and respect that he didn't see with any of the others. Especially none that weren't hired by her company.

Someone almost bumped into Endymion but Nic moved him out of the way in time and the person looked up in surprise to the near miss. "Oh!" It was an older gentleman with a woman similar to his age on his arm. Both were well dressed but a bit gaudy since they were so old, but still somewhat nice. "My dear, this is the English Ambassador for the Middle East and Africa." He informed her. "Though I read something about you in the newspaper, just the other day-" He frowned, thinking.

"I will be changing locations." Endymion supplied helpfully, though the announcement would be made official only in the next hour or so. He was supposed to be circulating with the guests and then he would disappear to only be introduced on stage again by Andrew. He wasn't supposed to be here talking to the man.

"Oh really? I suppose that could be it. I really thought though it involved a woman. I have been saying to my wife for the last five years that it is such a shame that a handsome man like you doesn't marry." He patted the woman's hand. "This is he, Martha."

"Pleasure to meet you both." Endymion didn't want to respond to the marriage pitch again. He'd heard it a hundred times before. He just wasn't interested right now.

Martha took up her husband's mantle. "Yes, dear, you have. I quite agree young man. There is absolutely no reason that you cannot at least marry before you're thirty. You seem to be catch enough for any woman and you just need to pick one. Draw her name out of a hat if you must, but do get married."

"I'm not going to pick a wife out of a hat." Endymion protested good-natured. "I'd at least look her up online."

"That's it!" The man jabbed his finger at Endymion. "The woman I saw with you in the paper. She's here tonight! I just saw her not too long ago. Perhaps you can make it up to her and apologize for whatever you did wrong. Martha, what is that woman's name, the one that you talk about insistently? The one who you can't stop singing her praises?"

"Who?" Martha thought for a moment but then she brightened. "Serenity's _here_?"

"Yes, she is." Endymion agreed and pointed them in the right direction, hoping that would keep Serenity out of his hair for awhile.

Nic looked at him like he was crazy. "Serenity's going to kill you for that."

"What? It's not like she doesn't like the attention and she'll be as sweet as pie to them." That much he knew was true. Whether or not she'd enjoy having to talk to an old couple, well that was kind of iffy. He glanced over his shoulder and saw Serenity talking to the couple, she sent him an amused glance back, probably being told that Endymion was sorry for whatever pig-headed thing he'd done, the bone-head. Mina was no longer with her, but she wasn't with Andrew either.

Endymion found Mina and Kai together near a darkened corner though they were not doing anything, just talking and Kai's arm was about Mina's waist. The way though that Mina held herself against Kai suggested a sensuality that had far more expertise than any woman Endymion had seen before. She did it in a way that was seductive and yet completely innocent to the casual observer. Kai seemed adapt at handling her, though Endymion was sure that Kai was having trouble concentrating on his duty, but he was still keeping an eye on things.

Endymion felt a warm body at his elbow then and he thought for sure that it was Serenity coming to tell him that it was time for them to go on to the next part of the evening, but when he glanced down, he encountered a chest that should have been where Serenity's eyes were meant to be. Nic straightened out and started coming towards them. Someone was far too close to their charge.

This woman was tall, even without her heels she was just short of his own height. With her heels she was staggering. If he thought that Serenity was generously blessed with her curves, and she was, this one had too much. For him at any rate. She had them on display in none of the subtly that Mina nor Serenity showcased theirs. The front end was not only a 'V' but also cut across the chest just above indecent. If she moved the wrong way it might be considered as such. He only took this in because he had accidentally looked at it. He didn't _usually _ogle a woman's assets. Though he made an exception for Serenity. He'd been physically attracted before, sure, but he didn't do it quite as obviously as he was now or some of his male counterparts. His eyes flickered up, wondering if it was a constituent that had something of importance to talk to him about.

He looked troubled at the woman as her green eyes held his, he recognized her from somewhere. Where-? But before he could ask, Nic came up and started flirting with the woman. Subtly moving the woman away from his side. It wasn't like they could very well surround him at a party without giving the game away.

Endymion was still mulling over who the woman was, she looked like she was enjoying her flirt with Nic, but she kept glancing over to him as if she wanted to say something. Nic kept dragging her back into further conversation. This time it was Serenity who came up to him, but from the front, rather than beyond his periphery. It was kind of a metaphor for not only her personality but also for the way they handled each other. Always head on.

"My darling!" She greeted, slipping an arm through his. "I've been tasked with informing you that you have to go get powdered."

"Powdered?" He questioned not understanding and questioning her word choice.

"Of course, for the cameras dear, you'll be on stage shortly." She tilted her head up towards his and she gave a long blink with her heavy lashes. Oh she was just the picture of innocence, wasn't she? With that movement it made her look even a little slow, as if it wasn't straight up, she couldn't understand it.

He leaned towards her a little and kissed her. Only it was a small kiss, only for a brief second and it wasn't even on her mouth. It was on the corner where her lips met. When he pulled back, she looked up at him dazed. He'd finally surprised her and that hadn't been his intention. He didn't know what his intention _had_ been. But the look was reward enough if he hadn't enjoyed the touch of their skin together more.

Endymion led for a change to a room he knew well. This area was often used for these functions while in England. The woman who was doing the make-up was also familiar and he was surprised when Serenity chatted easily with the girl. "I didn't think you were one for small talk with anyone making less than a certain dollar amount or holding a different kind of clout." Endymion explained his shock badly and after such openness earlier!

A smirk hitched up side of Serenity's features as she shared a look with a girl in the mirror and the other girl nodded. "Molly makes more money than you do."

"That isn't saying much." Endymion countered, he made a pretty good income, the government paid for a lot of his expenses but nothing like a socialite would expect.

Molly leaned over his shoulder to look him in the eye through the mirror, she was as amused as Serenity was. "I make far more than most big-time actors. You only think they're attractive, but that's got more to do with me and my magic wand than it does any real beauty."

"You magically transform them into looking good?" Endymion asked dubiously and when Molly nodded he tried to provoke her. "Then make me look like a movie star."

Molly laughed as Serenity sat on the counter looking on amused. "My dear Ambassador for England... You have far more in that category than I know what to do with. Any attempt to make you look better will actually do harm."

"Then what do I need you for?" He asked silkily.

"To make sure your nose isn't shiny." Molly winked but he wasn't sure if it was at him or Serenity and the girl's grin widened.

He was finished far earlier than he expected and they were right on time for him to be introduced to the crowd listening to Andrew. That might have had more to do with the cues buzzing in the man's ear, his earpiece was far more visual than anything Serenity or her lot wore.

Endymion came up to the podium, nodding to his friend. "Thank you Andrew for that wonderful introduction. I thank you all for coming out here tonight. The rumors are true, I am stepping down from my ambassadorship in the Middle East and Africa. I am also pursuing a position as such for the European sector. I am looking forward to representing you as I have for the last several years, but this time closer to home. It is an honor to be in our own backyard for the future."

Several questions were asked and he fielded them with expertise gained not just from the years he held this role but from watching others his entire life do the very same. He knew exactly what not to say and how to spin a bad question into his favor rather than stammer out a reply.

He was aware the entire time of eyes on him, and not from anyone in the crowd, but by one pair in particular. He would have thought she'd be scanning the crowd, making sure no ill will came to him but instead she was looking at him with adoration in her gaze the entire time. He looked for a camera panned onto her but all were still stationary, all were exactly where they had always been, on him. Perhaps then it was someone in the crowd that had not been satisfied with their relationship. Endymion thought that none of that gaze bespoke about how she really felt.

His life was a bore compared to hers. He didn't even get to meet that many foreign nationals, several monthly and those he met on the street but no where near the number if he was doing a grassroots campaign or an NGO. He was too high up the ladder to be allowed to meet all the cases in person, though he took on more than his fair share, more than any ambassador usually did. He wanted to make sure that nothing slipped by, no blunders that could cause another major incident or leave one family bereft if they went out of their way to seek his help.

She on the other hand galloped around the world without a care, meeting hundreds of people in all the different sectors of life, being a household name and having even the youngest and poorest person know her name and come up to her on the street, even when she wasn't working. The most downtrodden and the most elite. He had been living in a cave, mentally about the pop culture world, but no one else tonight he saw greet his 'girlfriend' could be said the same of. It wasn't just England either, it was the world over. His small ventures out into the real world were nothing compared to hers.

His speech finished, he was met with praise and cheers and he stepped down to talk to those who hadn't a chance. Serenity came to stand by him and he wrapped his left arm around her waist as he kept his right available to shake everyone's hands. She smiled and greeted all the curious onlookers politely and held up her end of ambassador's girlfriend. Though that wasn't usually the term attached to someone with an ambassador. Mistresses and girlfriends did attend these things but usually they weren't so prevalent, fading into the sides with their peers. Since Serenity was so well-known on her own and since they were meant to look more than just a simple couple, she was introduced to his future employees, business partners, investors, competitors and the like.

They all seemed enthralled by her, both the men and the women. It was Endymion that was starting to act strange through the introductions. He lifted a shoulder to rotate it, hoping the material of his jacket could itch that part of his neck for him. Then he let go of Serenity so he could rub at the skin irritating him. He kept rubbing at it and scratching. Serenity was looking up at him in curiosity before worry infiltrated her gaze.

"You're not allergic to something are you?"

"Only shell-fish, but I haven't had any to eat." He felt like his throat was blossoming but it was different from the usual reactions he had when he'd made the mistake before. His face felt hot and itchy too. He rubbed at it and he was surprised when he felt small hands on his, holding it down.

"Don't do that!" Serenity hissed, looking around frantically for one of the others. "It'll only make it worse and spread it."

"Spread it?" Endymion queried. "If I ate something, it will spread anyway." His tongue didn't feel like it was swelling up, only on the outside, his lips and everything else.

"That's because you _didn't_ eat anything." She took something out of her purse and stabbed him in the arm with it. "That should help some until we can get you to a doctor. There he is!" She grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door where Jeb was standing. "Nic's gone to get the car and Jeb was waiting to hear from Kai if its arrived yet. Jeb's arrival means that the way is clear." She informed him quietly. "I'm awfully sorry everyone, but we've got to go. Endymion's having a reaction to something."

There were murmurs of concern but no one deterred them. They were into the car and Serenity pushed him against the seat before she took alcohol wipes out of and started rubbing it against his palm. He noticed they had gotten red and swollen, and he only could guess at the sate of his neck and face. "How do you reckon this happened?" Jeb asked as he sat in the back with her, Nic and Kai in front. He took the wipe from her and she hissed out a breath of air.

"You're allergic too!" Jeb pushed her back and handed her a clean one. "At least allow me to do _my_ job."

"What?" Endymion asked as Jeb dabbed a new alcohol wipe on his neck, being careful not to touch skin to skin. "What do you mean by _your_ job?"

"Andrew couldn't have told you, but he did say I was the newest member of the team. When they found me, I was already starting out as a doctor." Jeb grinned at him and it widened when Endymion's eyes did. "Don't strike you as the type, do I? Perhaps Australian doctors are less stodgy than your British ones."

"If you're a doctor, then why are you here?"

"They needed a medical person on the team and I was a perfect fit, I have the looks of not only being ruggedly handsome, but also being tall and built. So when I was determined to join after meeting them, I was easily enfolded into the circle."

"But why did you want to join?" Endymion's vocal chords seemed to be working better again and he looked directly at Jeb now.

"Why not? Meeting Serenity changed my life for the better and once I met her, I couldn't leave her or let her leave me. Especially not when she kept putting herself in dangerous situations."

Endymion's eyes closed and he leaned his head back against the seat, pained, tired and weary. Jeb just as good as admitted what Endymion always suspected. The two of them were an item and pretty serious at that. He had no more to say. The ride to the hospital was pretty uneventful and their stay was short. The doctor they went to summed up what Jeb and Serenity thought, and issued him a prescription for a topical solution to allergic reactions.

Jeb dabbed a bit onto Serenity's hands before helping Endymion apply some to his face. "She's allergic to shell-fish too?"

"Deathly." Jeb replied. "I was loath to let her touch you when we found out about that particular ailment, but her quick thinking reduced your flare-up and made it virtually dead. Still it could have passed onto Serenity and having used her pen already on you, would have made things a lot worse if she somehow got it on the top portion of her body."

"Someone must have known." Endymion commented and the other four were nodding, they'd already come to that conclusion themselves. "About Serenity's too?"

"Nobody knows about Serenity's. Though it couldn't be too hard to figure out, she can't even use the older style of toothpaste. Yours, only a few could possibly know. I hadn't seen anything in the papers about it and when I did a google search nothing came up with the keywords." Nic announced from the driver's seat.

"I was bad as a child, refusing to believe I couldn't eat whatever I wanted. I ended up in the hospital a few times. Any number of people could know and not have it be researched through an article. The press never got wind of it as far as I'm aware."

"That either reduces or expands the search." Serenity sighed, hiding her hands under her so she wouldn't get the urge to touch her face. Or him, as he noticed her looking at him unsure a few times, concern flashing and disappearing in her eyes. It was odd, knowing she wanted to touch him but dared not. The idea of it was somewhat pleasing to him, the wanting to touch him part, not the being unable to. He couldn't touch her either, even with a reassuring brush of his fingers. She'd probably flare up and he'd be the culprit. How strange that they were both afflicted with the allergy for shellfish?

He then recalled his hands on her waist. "Jeb-" He really wished he didn't have to ask this man to do this for him, but he couldn't. "Can this transmit through fabric?"

"Not that likely, no." Jeb reassured him, already looking in his memory for times when that would be a concern. Then Jeb shook his head. "If its reached Serenity, we'd already be aware of it. She wouldn't have gotten to the hospital."

"We got a few epi pens now, one for you, one for me."

"Who could have done this, do you think? Molly-?"

"No." Serenity instantly cut him off. "Molly has been thoroughly vetted. If it is due to her cosmetics, someone ground it up and put it in there. Molly never uses anything of the sort." Serenity paused before disclosing this information. Endymion felt like he was taking a step back in her estimate if she had to think about this first. It wasn't the instant trust that he'd seen her give him in the past. "I've used Molly a dozen times in the last year alone for my own makeup as well as others in my businesses. There has never been a problem before. Besides, Molly's a Scott, she doesn't care about English Ambassadors."

"I'm a bit offended by that statement, but I'm not sure why." Endymion teased her, then leaned back against the seat, putting further distance between them and regarded her for a long time. This was inevitable. "By the way... thank you, you've saved my life. Already you've fulfilled the duty you've come here to do."

Serenity looked away and mumbled something, he was sure was cheapening her actions. The fact that she had put herself in danger to do it, well that was just more of an testament to her courage.

"I'm serious." Endymion insisted. "Really, thank you."

She gave him a slight smile, but said no more on the topic and the ride home was a silent one.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

–

Endymion's cellphone was out and against his ear as he directed the suitcases with his free hand, he hitched up a shoulder to hold it and held the door open for Serenity as she came out with one that was almost larger than her. He didn't remember packing that one-, his brows drew down as he watched her waddle with it to the van.

Then the woman on the other end of the line shouted something and it startled him. "Raye!" He grouched back. "I'm leaving to go abroad again. You know this, after taking up my post officially last weekend, it isn't like I can stay in England. I'm sorry if it annoys you and disrupts your plans for this weekend. I told you I wasn't sure." He paused as she overrode his words and then he spoke again. "No, I did not plan it especially to avoid you. I had caught up with all of my work and things just ended up the way they did."

Serenity was looking at him curiously and he gave her an annoyed expression and she giggled, taking it how it was meant, that he wanted to get Raye off the line and help them, though it was going a lot faster than it usually did, even with all the extra stuff that the five others needed to bring with them. Honestly though it was Zed and Serenity who were weighing the van down the most.

He grinned at her as Raye spoke again. He nodded though his cousin couldn't see him. "I know this is one of the last weekends you'll have in England before you return to Greece for the next few months. Look, one of the stops I have is Athens, I'll see if I can't finagle a weekend away to visit with you. Yes, I'm aware your birthday is coming up. Oh all right, we'll plan on that then. No, I do promise. Really, I do. Now that I can't promise. Raye, it's not up to me. She might be bored with me by then." Endymion huffed a sigh and held the phone away from him as Raye yelled. "I'll ask!" He shouted back into the phone.

"Serenity!" He shouted to the girl who was moving away from him at the moment and she turned back around. "Raye wants you to promise to still be dating me in a month's time when we attend her birthday party in Corfu."

Well, I can't promise _that_." Serenity put her hands on her hips in mock consternation. "One never knows if you'll say something to me that just pushes things over the limit!" Her voice was on a falsetto yell, just so Raye could hear her.

Raye said something sharp to him and he laughed between the two women. "Ok, I'll _try _not to say anything outrageous." He listened to Raye berate him a bit more before he sighed heavily. "I'll ask her that, it might result in getting your way. Raye wants to know if you'll at least promise to attend her birthday party no matter what our status is at the time."

Serenity pretended to think about that one and Endymion's gaze was pleading, if she didn't say yes now or anytime soon, he'd have to contend with Raye's wrath and really he wanted to stay on her good side. "I suppose I can make that promise, but only for Raye, she seemed like such a sweet girl."

Endymion put the phone back against his ear. "Did you hear that? She agreed. Now can I get back to packing and be forgiven for the mistake about this upcoming weekend? I'd had a few things to attend to this week that were a bit out of the norm for me." Endymion reminded Raye about what she was told earlier in the week, shortly after it happened. She was concerned and wanted to come to help, but he assured her it was all right now and there were plenty of people there at the time. Now, after her shock, she realized that he was leaving and had given him a piece of her mind about ditching out on the party he had 'promised' to attend. Though he had no recollection of giving his word. This time nor any of the others she tried to rope him into.

Thankfully this time wouldn't be intending to find him a girlfriend, with Serenity there, these kinds of things were now foisted onto another unsuspecting cousin.

"So... in a month, Corfu?" Jeb asked casually by the door, leaning on it and looking at him as Endymion turned to go in. The blond man startled him and he took a second to get his baring back. Jeb was as bouncy as Serenity at times and it surprised him whenever either could get in and out without alerting him of their presence. Though with Serenity it was like he had a sixth sense with her and always knew instinctively when she was around.

"For Raye's birthday." Endymion responded.

"Whose Raye?"

"My cousin." Endymion responded automatically. "You didn't meet her the other day, you had it off or something. She's hard to miss. Where Serenity's perky, she's sharp. Where Serenity has compliments, she has a wicked tongue."

Jeb's features twisted into a smirk. "Sounds exciting."

"Only a fool would think so. She's had several of them though, I suppose, so perhaps you'd be right."

"Many boyfriends?"

"Her hand-full were more than enough to sour my taste in her choice of men. The latest one was a rocker by the name of Chadsworth. His band was horribly contrite and he yelled more than sang, it barely got off the ground and that's only because he had familial backing." Endymion scowled. "Raye adored him. She thought if you'll excuse the pun, the cat's meow. That's what he sounded like, you see, a cat dying."

Jeb's face twisted more and it looked like he was in pain. Serenity materialized at his elbow and she drew a face as well. "Looks like you've gotten him so worked up that he's incapable of laughing but wants to but knows he shouldn't."

"You're more than welcome." Endymion invited. "If someone can, that's great."

Then Jeb let it rip and the laughter could be heard around the entire house. When he finally stopped Serenity tilted her head and grinned. "We're able to leave now, if you'd like."

"That's the perfect thing to leave this house with, merriment. The way it should be." Endymion swung around towards Serenity and hooked an arm about her waist and dragged her towards the car. "Let's get going!"

He was excited to start work soon and he got to have Serenity there with him the entire way. He ignored the fact that someone he didn't know would be keeping an eye on this place while they were gone, he thought that was a bit of an overkill, but Serenity hadn't been moved on the point and really it was Kai he had argued with, who had told him it in the first place. Now he was going to put that out of his head and enjoy the time he had with these five people, they had proven themselves to be a good group to be around and he didn't know how long that was going to last. His life was settling back into a routine he knew and would have for a long time to come. For the next foreseeable future, he'd have people to share it with, everywhere he went. He pushed away the notion that it was only because they were paid to do so. He'd had his fair share of nannies, they were paid as well, but that didn't stop them from caring about him and him returning their feelings. In a way that's all they were, but in another they were becoming his friends and he was looking forward to having people travel with him and being there in each country the set foot into.

First up, Ireland and while that wasn't too far away, it was still another spot in which they'd be outside of his home comforts.

–

Ireland, well that was sort of a bust. Not that they didn't like him reasonably well, but he was always compared with that young diplomat that had made his mark on their territory for a long time now. He'd assured them that the man would still be working here, Endymion was just visiting and would be making frequent trips back to handle the higher issues and more complicated political spectrum.

The weather was also atrocious. He hadn't realized how lucky and spoiled they'd gotten over the last few weeks in England. Compared to usual, it hardly rained at all. And compared to this last week here, England's reputation was like a calm summer's day compared to what they'd had. Even the locals had made a comment and had been annoyed when it didn't let up for a minute. The roads were all washed out and nobody got from car to building without being drenched, despite all plans and preparations. The fact that the heaters in the government building_s _were on the brink, only added to everyone's misery.

Even Serenity's chipper mood started to sour after a few days of this. Though she continued _trying _to be bright and on positive side, she became withdrawn and out of sight a lot of the days they were in Ireland. This was expected though, as it was the beginnings of Spring. Just the rocky shores and impossible climb, which the cars had difficulty with, in all directions seemed to damper even the most illustrious personalities. There was no where to go to get away from the pock-pock-pock of the heavy drops on roofs and windows.

If that hadn't been bad enough, coldness seemed to cling like a second skin. No amount of clothing or heat helped to dispel with the chill. He'd seen Serenity huddled with blankets piled upon her and warm beverages in her hands whenever he did see her. It wasn't too often, as mostly she was just trying to stay warm and cocooned. She didn't have much to do with his protection detail this week. Jeb had finally dumped her in front of a fire and came in every hour to refill the pit and stroke the flames back into roaring heat. She had been ordered not to move from that spot until they left.

She hadn't been around much for publicity and the Irish had held that against him as well, though it was their climate that had done her in, but he was wise enough not to say that. She looked absolutely wretched whenever he saw her, and wisely didn't say anything about that either.

He had it on good authority that she slept on the couch by the fire most nights, though there were fire pits in several of the other rooms in the hotel, hers didn't have it. Neither did Jebs. In fact none of them had one except Endymion. Most of those rooms had been converted to fit the growing needs of the tourist industry. The original rooms all still had the fires but the newest ones hadn't. Apparently it was all the rage to visit this remote part of Ireland during high summer. The rest of the year it was pretty much deserted except for the locals.

Endymion was down there now, with Serenity. The locals wanted Serenity to greet them before she left and he wanted to ask her personally. He doubted she would. Not because she didn't want to, but because it seemed impossible to get her to move. She was looking sleepy when he sat by her to talk. "A few of the people I was talking to are great fans of yours. Apparently they had all your films and records." He lifted a brow at that. "You hadn't told me you sang as well."

"My parents thought I could be a Brady-bunch or Jackson Five or, oh whatever some of those others were that completed the whole package and preformed on the spot for all who wanted me to, like a trained monkey." She was more bitter than he expected and her honesty surprised him. "I vowed that I would choose when and where I showcased my talents when I turned sixteen and had a say in it. By then I'd been paraded in front of thousands of movies and audiences across the world. Doing tricks, singing, dancing, acting, you name it, I was forced to do it. If I wasn't a natural or showed any interest, I was put into grueling rehearsals until I learned it perfectly. Needless to say, I stopped acting and singing. In front of paying audiences at any rate."

That made sense at least, he wasn't a paying audience, she was still acting but in a very different way. He wondered what she'd be like if she was still just an actress. But she was never that and she never would be. "I don't recall seeing your in any films or hearing you on the radio."

She gave a short laugh. "No, I suppose not, but you were too busy learning this trade. Sometimes I think you were no better off than I was."

"I don't think our horrible childhoods need to be a competition." He said gently, reaching out to brush aside a lock of her hair that fell into her forehead. She would have to struggle to reach up and do it herself, but his flesh touched hers and he realized that the heat she was emitting wasn't a reflection from the fire, but one from inside of her and it was only getting warmer. "Are you all right?"

"I'm dreadfully unhappy here. Please tell me this is the only place with this environment that we're stopping at?"

He nodded, but he was already concerned and he laid the back of his hand against her forehead. "You're burning up. How are you feeling physically?"

"Like I can't get warm, that jumping into the fire has been a fantasy of mine for the last several days and I would too, if I thought that would help. It probably won't, and I'll have ruined clothes."

"Have you told Jeb?" Endymion asked, pulling the blankets tighter around Serenity's body, though now on closer inspection he saw she was sweating.

"Frankly I haven't seen much of him since Wednesday." Serenity tried to shrug but failed. "I didn't want to bother him with this. They've all had to pick up my slack but its better that then me stopping every five seconds to huddle in piles of rugs."

Endymion tilted her head to see if he could see her earpiece and then turned it the other way, not seeing it there either. "How good are they at hiding?"

"Very." Serenity indicated the first ear again by tilting her head and she was wondering what he wanted.

Endymion leaned in and was careful not to speak too loudly that would hurt Serenity's eardrum, but clear enough that the ones on the other end would understand. "Jeb, I'd like for you to come to the library as soon as you can tear yourself away from whatever it is you're doing."

He arrived instantly. "Something wrong with Serenity? Is she unresponsive? Why would she give you-" Then he stopped, looking between them, Serenity sitting on the couch and Endymion kneeling at her side. "You look wretched!"

"I feel wretched." She responded as glibly as she could but still seeming weak and didn't give much heart into it.

"What is it?" He knew enough that Endymion was concerned about Serenity's well-being and came forward to put his hand against her head. "Gods Sere, you're burning up!"

"There's another obvious remark." She burrowed further into the blankets. She offered a protest when Jeb started stripping them off of her.

"You have to get into a cold bath." He told her firmly. "Kai, draw one up."

"No!" She cried, clinging to the blanket. "I'm _cold!_"

Endymion too wondered how smart this plan was. Jeb was shaking his head though, struggling with the blanket. She had a pretty good grasp on it and it was an effort to remove it without hurting her in the process. "Zed, anti-inflammatories, there's some in my pack upstairs." Jeb looked firmly at Serenity, holding her gaze, even though her lids were heavy. "It wouldn't have come to this if you'd told me straight away. Your temperature is skyrocketing! I'm only pleased that we caught it in time."

"But a cold bath?" She mewled and Endymion felt like he had walked in onto a private moment. This wasn't a conversation for him, they had practically forgotten that he was there. He wished that he was the one to be taking care of her, and in any other normal situation, he probably would be. But then again in those normal situations he wouldn't be her client, she wouldn't be a bodyguard and her boyfriend wouldn't be kneeling at her side.

"It'll shock the body, its overheating, you're feeling cold because its going to all the wrong places. Its working overtime to try and cool you down. We're going to relieve it of its duties for a little while, help contain the illness and hope it doesn't come to hospitalization."

"That's possible?" Endymion stepped in, concern paramount in his tone.

"Only if she's higher than 40." Jeb didn't do anything to waylay Endymion's concern, even stirring it up as he lifted Serenity off the couch fluidly and she clung to the blond.

"It'll be all right, Endymion." She reassured him and she managed to throw a smile onto her face for him. Then she buried it in Jeb's shoulder, shivering violently.

"Zed, grab the thermometer as well." Endymion followed Jeb and Serenity up the stairs to the bathroom, Jeb transferred Serenity over to Kai's arms and then ripped the last blanket from her before she knew what was going on. Underneath she had on sweats and more sweats. Setting Serenity against the vanity, they started stripping the layers of clothing from her. Zed appeared and nobody seemed concerned over the fact that Serenity was almost nude and there were four men looking at her. Zed pushed the thermometer into Serenity's mouth and Kai bent to take off her socks, many layers of those too. Jed checked the temperature of the water and then nodded. He looked at the stick in her mouth and he blanched. Kai took that as a go ahead to dumping Serenity into the chilly water.

She gasped and struggled out of it, unprepared for the shock to her system. Kai and Jeb held her down, so she was almost to her pretty neck. "Stay put!" Jeb warned. "It's going to help you get better."

Serenity was still struggling, wanting to get out, get warm. She was now more alert and awake but that only meant she had more energy to thrash and fight to get her way. Endymion couldn't stand to watch this, but he couldn't pull himself away either. He had to make sure she was all right, that this was helping. The adrenaline rush was subsiding and she relaxed into the cold bath, her body shaking and Endymion wanted to push them all aside and wrap her in fluffy warm towels. He stomped on that notion, Jeb was a doctor, and he wouldn't put his girlfriend at risk in this unnecessary way unless it was needed. Zed popped a few doses of Tylenol into her mouth and she swallowed it down, not seeming to care any more. Her eyes closed and she seemed to drift away for awhile.

Once that happened, Jeb and Kai pulled her out of the tub and wrapped her in those towels to shick the moisture away from her and then put her in a robe. He tried to advert his eyes, but he was too concerned to look away for long. He'd never seen her so quiet and immobile. It was just plain wrong. How had she gotten this way in the first place? She seemed infinitely strong. They moved her up to her bedroom and draped a sheet over her body, but nothing more. He tried to ask about the blankets but Jeb shook his head, knowing best.

Endymion sat at her bedside while the others walked in and out of the room. He even held her hand as he waited for her temperature to go down. Concern wracked his every breath, watching the sweat bead on her temples and he exchanged her cold compress for another. Jeb came in to try and rouse her enough to feed her another Tylenol. She swallowed it down but passed out again. "You know, you don't have to sit here the whole time. She's got plenty of supervisors. Now that we know she's not just wimping out on us, she'll be well cared for."

"Serenity wimps out?" Endymion couldn't believe his ears and Jeb smiled ruefully, knowing he'd been caught in a lie. "This happens a lot?" He questioned instead.

"No." Jeb shook his head, looking down at Serenity with a tender gaze and it sat uncomfortably in Endymion's gut. "She's been pushing it too much these days though." Jeb shook his head. "But you try telling that to her and you know what you'll get?"

"Severe frost bite?"

"If you're lucky!" Jeb laughed, brushing her bangs off her sticky forehead and he frowned. "We might have to do another round of ice baths if it doesn't break soon, or at least lessen. Some fevers are good, but they're mild in comparison." His tenderness increased as he looked at the woman-child in the bed, looking younger and more fragile at the moment. "Nobody would expect it out of her, would they?"

Jeb's thoughts must have been echoing along with Endymion and he shook his head in amusement. "None of it, I'm sure. I sure didn't. She fooled me into thinking she was this calm, poised, high sophistication woman."

Jeb's lips pressed to stop the smile from blossoming. "That's not as much act as you seem to believe. That's been bred into her from the day she was born. Though a lot of her abilities are natural, the finesse you see was roughly obtained."

"How long have you known each other? I got the feeling from Andrew that you're a new addition."

Jeb shrugged. "Sometimes it feels as we've always been together. Others, like knowing the suffering she'd gone through at her nannies hands, not long enough. I should have been there to defend her or at least shoulder the burden."

"You were a child yourself, and as you say, you couldn't have known or been there. Serenity doesn't see it that way, she thinks she actually gets her sweetness from her father."

A scowl crossed Jeb's lips. "Oh, she would. She rebelled well enough, but she still holds her father to high esteem. He's always been the sweetest man with her mother and Serenity's still innocent enough to think he's a sweet man."

"She rebelled?"

"Oh did she ever!"

"Against her father? Not her mother? Wasn't she responsible for some of this?"

Jeb shook his head. " Well... I guess in a way she was. Her mother didn't know about it, that rests solely on her father's head. He didn't know how to deal with children and so he handed her off to the nursery whenever her mother was away. His explicit instructions were that she never embarrass him." A wry grin split across his face. "That only lasted until she was old enough to drive, she was given a flashy car as all Hollywood girls received in our generation and she ended up wrapping it around a tree. On purpose."

"Why? She could have hurt herself!"

"It was her way of proving to her father that he couldn't control her anymore. That she wouldn't be bought off. She filed for emancipation rights the next day."

"So she's always been a little spit-fire? That underneath her apt naming she's got claws and teeth?"

"Boy does she ever. You just haven't seen her in action yet." Jeb laughed and when she winced at the loud noise he stopped apologetically. "There's a reason she's the boss."

"I take it I don't want to see?"

"You probably won't." Jeb reassured. "She usually only saves it for people who really try her patience. You amuse her more than anything else."

"I'm glad I can be so accommodating." He responded dryly, wondering if everything he did was just so _amusing_. He couldn't even explain why he was upset, probably hoping for a stronger feeling from her than that.

Jeb shook his head again. "To be able to amuse her, you must count your blessings. She may pretend, but she isn't so easily won over."

"You've managed." Endymion couldn't help but lash out at that point. "Though your amusements seem vastly different than my own."

"That's because I'm special, isn't it? If I weren't, I highly doubt my antics would amuse her, but I know that my position is safe and so I got to go to great lengths to make her laugh."

"I've never seen that be a problem for her in the past." He heard her laugh frequently.

"Only by those that amuse her." Jeb insisted. "At least her real ones. In all honesty though, I think she would be more amused by me if she didn't think it would get me into trouble. She takes her role more seriously than she lets people see. It gnaws on her, thinking she's responsible for everyone. Though what also annoys her is my concern over _her_. Since she's the leader, she can't depend on anyone else, but they're all supposed to depend on her. It kind of goes back to her lifestyle that she was born into, easy to make and maintain shallow friendships that appear deep when you need something attainable, but if its something outrageous, she doesn't know how many would truly stick around. Personally, I think a good portion would, they can see her character at its core and would go to bat for her."

Endymion began to wonder which laughs were real and which were fake. He found it inconceivable, but he'd have to watch her closer to find out. None had really seemed disingenuous to him and thinking now about it, Endymion still couldn't really pick out any that had struck a false cord in him. Jeb's other words made him realize that there was even more depth to her than he had already discovered but in some ways he was only echoing his earlier thoughts as well. He knew that about Serenity, knew she took it seriously. Had to have to have such a successful record, and to work as hard as she did on a daily basis. Appearing not to be concerned was actually one of the ways she showed her clients not to worry, that everything was under control. He had to admit, up until the attack with the shell-fish make-up, he hadn't really believed there was a danger at all. Serenity's quick thinking had possibly saved his life. Jeb gave him a lot to think about.

"At any rate, you're here to work, this isn't that." Jeb continued as if Endymion hadn't gone into his own mental meanderings. It took Endymion a moment to realize what Jeb was getting at and Endymion shook his head.

"No."

"Suit yourself." Jeb stretched out his limbs as he got to his feet. "I'll be back up shortly to see if further action is necessary." Then the blond man was gone. Endymion reached out and held her hand.

Thankfully, sometime in the next few hours Serenity's fever broke.

–

Endymion was the first to know about it. He must have fallen asleep after her second bath and his head lulled forward so it landed on the bed. Her fingers were shifting through his dark head of hair and when he lifted it off the bed, she was blinking slowly, as if trying to put everything into order. "Endymion." He said, reminding her of the name which she was probably trying to figure out.

A smile slid across her face and she held his gaze. Each of the actions were slow, but deliberately so. "I know your name. I was just trying to figure out why you're here and what happened."

"You've had a severe fever for the last several hours, possibly longer. Nobody really noticed it earlier though your symptoms were synonymous with at least a lower grade one for the last several days."

She nodded, thinking about his words. "And you stayed here, with me?"

"Since I found out you were sick." He confirmed. "I didn't want to leave you on your own."

"The others were here. I wouldn't have been alone." And that was true enough, he couldn't say about the last few hours, but they'd popped in frequently throughout the day, checking on her, changing the water for him so he'd always have a cool compress, forcing her to take the pills that she was vaguely aware of being given.

"No, that's true." Endymion wasn't pleased to give that point. "I thought it'd be nice to take special care of you. I canceled my appointments for the day."

"That was very kind of you. But you should have just let Jeb or one of the others handle my care. We're here for you, not the other way around."

Serenity struggled to a sitting position and he helped her, bringing the blanket up around her shoulders once she was leaning back against the headboard. "Yes, you do seem to depend on them a lot. What exactly is your relationship with them?"

"They're my family." Serenity had only the thinnest thread of defense about his question, as it wasn't quite an accusation.

"Yes but-"

"No buts Endymion. We've been through so much together, I trust each and everyone of them with my life and my happiness. I'd give up a lot for them. If they asked me to drop everything and run to help them, I would."

Endymion never having a relationship like that with anyone besides Andrew couldn't argue any more. He couldn't argue that it was odd with more than one of your own gender and he couldn't argue about the other either. He had no real examples to base any of his opinions on and he'd have to take her at her word. "It must be nice." He hadn't meant to say it out loud but Serenity nodded as if he had.

"I think so." Serenity reached a shaky hand up to push her bangs off her forehead. Endymion watched it with his gut twisting. Serenity's eyes sought his out. "Thank you Endymion, truly."

"You're welcome."

"Now go back to work." She pointed towards the door but her hand was swaying wildly that it was impossible to know just by looking at it if that's where she meant.

"Can't." He grinned, leaning back into his chair. "You'll have me for the rest of the night. I told you I canceled my appointments and now its too late in the day to go anywhere."

"You planned this, didn't you?"

"Of course I did, I just wanted to get you sick so I could get out of working and not have you boss me around for awhile." Actually, that didn't sound half bad.

Serenity scowled at him before relenting. "Fine, but tomorrow you go back to work."

"And you go back to being boss."

"Yo soy es jefe." Serenity responded cheekily.

"You must be feeling better." Endymion observed ruefully. "You're making jokes in Spanish."

"Not much of a joke." Serenity returned.

"No, perhaps not. Which brings me to another point. I came in search for you today because the Irish are not pleased that I've come without my beautiful girlfriend. They're refusing to cooperate nicely until you've come to talk to them."

"That's a little rude. I'm not the reason you're here. You're the ambassador." Serenity frowned lightly at the idea.

"I know, but they're in love with the diplomat that was here last week and even though I've reassured them that he will continue being their diplomat, I'm just his boss, they're holding out for an incentive. That happens to be you."

"If it will make things easier for you." Serenity sighed dramatically. "The things I go through just for you. If I had known you'd be such a media hog, pulling me into these events and into the public's eye... well I don't think I would have agree to take you on."

Endymion started laughing in earnest as she turned the tables back on him. "Ok, I admit, I was a bit too harsh on you about the whole picture thing. I understand now why you did it and why you thought it was necessary. They're starting to wonder if I've stuffed you into a sack and refuse to let you out to play with anyone else."

"It's not that bad!" Serenity denied on a gasp of shock. "They wouldn't think something like that?"

"They have and they are. That's why you need to get some rest, get better so that tomorrow we can go out and present an united front." Endymion rolled his eyes. "Really, I sometimes think my own countrymen are more backwards than the places we've deemed as 'third world'. At least when I was there, nobody thought it odd that I did not bring a wife or girlfriend with me. That as a man I wasn't whole without one."

"Maybe, maybe not..." She agreed with a small smile. "But you didn't have a girlfriend then, if you had, perhaps they might have thought the same way."

"Or they've have shunned me for bringing a girlfriend and not a wife." He countered and she shrugged in return, not fighting him on this. "Now sleep." He helped her settle back down and covered her with the blanket, she wasn't sweating anymore so thought it would be all right.

Her eyes closed almost instantly and he walked out, seeing Jeb in the hallway. The blond man nodded and took his place. Endymion needed to get some sleep as well and now that he knew that Serenity would be all right, went to go get some.

The rest of the Ireland trip, which only lasted another two days, went off without any major hitches. Mostly do to Serenity charming all of them. She apologized for being under the weather for the beginning half and while she was still tired and a little weak, she put on a good show. Then the next day just as they were leaving the sun broke out and gave them a few minutes of warmth. A peaceful parting, rather than a bad omen. They'd weathered the storm and came out of it.

They had a private plane taking them to Russia. As soon as Serenity sat down, she was out and sleeping so heavily nobody could wake her. Or at least she pretended to. There was no real way to tell if she was faking so she could be left alone. Nobody really disturbed her, knowing she needed the sleep.


End file.
